Total Solar Eclipse
by Gaia Faye
Summary: A total solar eclipse is going to pass over Satan City, but darkness will also come in another form.
1. The Vernal Equinox

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Chapter One: The Vernal Equinox

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"What's the big deal?" - Vegeta

March 21, Thursday à 21 days until the eclipse

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It's dark. So very dark. Blackness. No sight. No sound.

But I can still feel. I feel my energy growing inside of me. Rushing through my body. The black force is becoming stronger. Unimaginably strong.

Yet even at full power, my strength will not be enough. I require a force other than myself. A conduit to amplify my power. A conductor with his own immense strength.

And I already know whom.

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It was a beautiful day on earth. The first day of spring was certainly living up to its name. Birds sang and flew across the cloudless cerulean sky. The bees were collecting the pollen from the blossoming flowers. A slight breeze would rustle the trees every now and then.

_And I'm stuck inside_, Bra mused as she stared out the window. _Learning things I'll probably never use._

Just the same, she would have to stick it out until the final bell. Bra adjusted the collar of her white blouse, part of the uniform required by her private school. "A minor drawback," her mother called it. All her mother deemed necessary of the school was that it give the best education possible.

_But why are all the good schools extremely boring?_

"Miss Briefs?" her teacher said, jarring Bra from her thoughts. "Can you answer the question?"

"Uhh...."

_Bring!_

"Saved by the bell," Bra muttered to herself. She shoved her blank notebook into her book bag and trotted out of the room, Mrs. Peterson letting her off with a warning glance. 

Bra went to her locker and got what she needed for her homework, and quickly exited the building into the fresh air. She stooped down to pick a flower growing by the walkway.

"Hey! Stay off the grass!"

Bra started and looked toward the voice. She spotted Trunks approaching her.

"Very funny," she said, swatting him in the arm.

"I thought so. Do you want a ride home?"

"Aren't you supposed to be at work?"

"I am at work."

"Oh," Bra said.

"Yeah. I told the office I would be in public relations, I told public relations I would be in finances, I told finances I would be in a meeting-"

"I get it. I get it."

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I watch them as they speak. They don't notice me behind the tree, and that is fortunate. Presently my mission requires me to be very scarce around people. 

It is not the girl. She is a little more than a decade too young. The man? Maybe. He is most likely her brother. They have similar auras. A deep green color. Although auras are rarely described as colors. They are more of an essence of a person. I can get a good idea of a person from their aura.

There they go, into the young man's car. Should I watch again tomorrow? And accomplish what? I'll have to become more involved and enroll in the school. Perhaps I can get to know the girl. She may be somehow related to the one I am seeking. Her aura has special type of signature. So does the boy's, so it could be him.

I must find out.

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"Hey, Bra?" Trunks said.

"Yeah?"

"You flew home, okay?"

"I've been flying home a lot lately."

"So? See you later." He drove off, leaving Bra in front of their house.

Bra walked in the front door into the kitchen. She was about to get a snack when she heard the voices in the living room. She peeked into the den.

"Chi-Chi!" Bra exclaimed.

Chi-Chi was sitting on the loveseat next to Bulma, Bra's mother.

"Bra!" Bulma exclaimed. "You're home pretty early again."

"I flew home."

"You've been doing that a lot lately. I wish you wouldn't. It frightens people."

"I'm pretty sure no one saw, Mom."

"How are you doing in school?" Chi-Chi spoke up.

"All right," Bra replied. "The usual A's"

"I remember when Goten was still in school. I had to push that boy to study just like Gohan. Of course, while Gohan has a successful career, Goten is still unemployed like his father. Why can't that boy be a lawyer?"

Bra tried to picture Goten in a suit making closing statements in front of a jury. Nope. Definitely didn't fit.

"Where's Dad?" Bra asked.

"I'll give you a hint," Bulma said. "Chi-Chi didn't come alone."

"Oh, sparring again?"

"What else would they do?" Chi-Chi grumbled. "Why can't they get jobs?"

"As what?" Bra said.

"ANYTHING."

"Bra," Bulma said. "Do have any idea where Trunks is? He told his secretary he would be with public relations, and public relations said he was in finances, and the people there said he was in a meeting-"

"Uh, I have a lot of homework to do..."

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TO: IPS

FROM: Messenger

RE: Operation AP

Target not yet established, but I have enrolled in the academy of a related party. Relation to unestablished target 

is currently unknown, but this is now a minor objective. Will report back when new information is revealed. 

TO: Messenger

FROM: IPS

RE: Timeframe

It is imperative that the target be established and 

found before the total solar eclipse that can be seen from 

your area. Part of parchment has been translated to say that 

D-day is three weeks from vernal equinox during the eclipse. 

Additional part of parchment's property tells that target has only been alive about thirty years. Further translations will 

be reported as they develop.

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"And last on tonight's news," the reporter announced from the screen, "scientists would like to remind the public that a total solar eclipse will occur over Satan City three weeks from today. An eclipse sighting party for the public is being planned for Satan City Park. More on that tomorrow on the six o'clock news."

"Did you hear that?" Bulma said, clicking off the television in her and Vegeta's bedroom. "I've only seen a total solar eclipse once before, and that was so long ago.... I can't really remember it."

Vegeta made an acknowledging grumble from his spot beside her in their bed.

"Have you ever seen one?"

He rolled his eyes. "Only about a million. What's the big deal?"

"They don't occur very often on earth. Probably every thirty years or so, and you can only see them in certain areas."

"Whatever." Vegeta lay down and pulled the comforter up to his neck.

"Should we go to the park to see it?"

"Just go to sleep, woman." He closed his eyes.

She nudged him playfully. "Without a goodnight kiss?"

"Yes."

Bulma gave him one anyway, pressing her lips against his so hard that he had to open his eyes. She released and pulled her head back a few inches from his face, flashing him a mischievous smile. 

"Are you still tired?"

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There really is no reason I chose the day of the total solar eclipse to release my power. Any other day would have done just as well. The darkness just suits the atmosphere I'm looking for. I want each human on this planet to acknowledge the day I took over as being as black as the prison I am in now.

Now, the vernal equinox does play an important part. The shift in the earth's axis is what has awakened me. It has turned my former prison into more of an incubator. I sit here, deep within the earth's crust, and gather energy from the inhabitants above me. Not their life energy, though. Life energy is too bright, too positive. I gather the energy they release when they feel hate, anger, or sadness. The negative energy may take longer to collect, but it is exactly what I need for my takeover. 

During the eclipse, I will emerge and use my conduit to amplify my energy. The power surge will invade each and every mind on the planet, making them my slaves. They will do whatever I, their queen, ask of them, even if it means risking their lives.

As for my conduit, well, even a dark force feels the need for companionship.

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	2. New Girl in Town

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Disclaimer: You know it, I know it, I do not own DBZ or the characters. This also goes for Chapter One, in which I forgot to put this disclaimer... I did create the character of Relena, though, so she's mine.

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Notes: All flamers shall be ignored. If you do decide to flame me, it would be more mature to do so in a respective manner without using various obscenities. It also helps if at least seventy percent of your spelling is correct. This way, it is easier to differentiate between the flamers that failed English class and the ones that actually have some intelligence. In case you couldn't tell, I don't like flamers, and neither does anyone else. If you don't have anything nice to say, then kindly shut the hell up. Thank you! ^_^

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Chapter Two: New Girl in Town

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"You met any androids?" - Relena

March 22, Friday à 20 days until the eclipse

-Vegeta-

Bulma stirs next to me. I watch as her gorgeous blue eyes, those bottomless cerulean pools, flutter open. She glances at me and sees that I am also awake. She smiles.

"Hi," she yawns, and I can't help but smile back at her, it is such an odd thing to say. It was, dare I say it, cute.

"What time is it," my mate continued.

"Early," I reply. It is close to three in the morning. I embrace her, pressing her bare flesh to mine. "Go back to sleep."

She nuzzles my shoulder, closing her eyes. After a few moments, she is already asleep. I continue to hold her, feeling her breath on my shoulder. I can feel her heartbeat and my heartbeat and can swear the two pulses are completely in sync. She sighs in her sleep and puts her arms around my neck.

An angel.

My angel.

All I'll ever need, safe and snug in my arms.

Without her, who knows where I'd be now? Probably still roaming around the universe, a ruthless killer on a hopeless quest for immortality and infinite power. Maybe something worse, if that's possible. I don't really want to know. I don't even want to think about it.

Of course, all I can think about now is the dream. Or nightmare. I'm not really sure which. I had the dream an hour ago, and when I woke I couldn't get back to sleep. Naturally, I settled for watching over my mate, but the dream still ran through my mind.

I am standing in a room. More like a cave really. I remember the ground being rock. The walls could also have been of stone, but I couldn't see them. I was surrounded by blackness.

I remember being in jeans rather than shorts because it was cold outside. And hiking boots because it had recently rained and the ground was swampy. No shirt, though, because for some reason I wasn't supposed to have been outside for very long. This was all pretty ridiculous. Recently, the weather was very warm and there were clear skies. So why wouldn't I want to be outside?

I had apparently found my way into this cave. As I stand in the dark cavern, I spot a light above me. Not a bright, golden light as from the sun, but a grayish light. I identify this as the exit of the cave; I can hear Bulma calling to me from it.

But before I can fly out, there is a different voice from the surrounding blackness. It is calling for me. The sound is icy and chilling, yet oddly warm and soothing at the same time. It wants me to come to it. 

Even more odd, I almost do. I am compelled to follow the voice for no apparent reason. I don't even know whom it is that is calling to me.

But Bulma's voice, louder now, shatters the compulsion, and I can now see her face in the gray glow. I move to escape the cave, but then the strangest thing happens. 

"You can only hear me, Vegeta."

Bulma's voice fades away and so does her face.

"You do not see the light, Vegeta."

The gray light vanishes and the cave completely darkens. 

"Come."

Suddenly I am moving obediently toward the voice. Slowly, step by step. I do not want to, but the hypnotic voice invades my brain, putting me into a trance. I cannot resist. 

As I approach I can make out a faint outline of the voice's body, just enough to tell it is a woman.

"You are mine."

Then I wake up, of course. 

So, dream or nightmare? Hard to say.

Definitely one of the most interesting dreams I've ever had.

"Well, class," Mrs. Peterson announced. "We have a new student today."

Bra looked away from the window to the girl standing next to the teacher.

"This is Relena Carter. I trust you will be kind and assist her if she needs any help." Mrs. Peterson turned to Relena and pointed to Bra. "You may take that seat next to Miss Briefs. Maybe you can help me keep her attention."

Bra's eyes followed the girl as she glided down the aisle of desks to the seat neighboring her own. Relena was very attractive; there was no denying that to the male half of the class who kept glancing at her as Mrs. Peterson began the lesson. She wore the standard uniform, but in a way that made the dress code seem naughty. Relena wore a white blouse, with the top two buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up past her elbows. Her black skirt hung down well above the knee; Bra became positive that Relena purposely hemmed it two inches. The arms of her ebony cardigan had been tied around her waist. She wore thin, black, knee-high socks and clunky, black Mary Janes. Relena's short, curly, auburn hair fell down an inch below the shoulder, and her eyes...

_Whoa_, Bra thought to herself as Relena glanced at her. _Her eyes are so green. Practically neon. Is she wearing contacts?_

"Hi," Relena whispered to her, keeping her piercing gaze on Mrs. Peterson to see if she was watching. "Nice to meet you. What's your name?" She looked at Bra now.

"My name's Bra," Bra replied. "Nice to meet you too."

"So how's this one?" Relena asked, jerking her head towards the middle-age woman at the chalkboard.

"A little strict," Bra replied. "But it's pretty boring when you have to listen to her drone on and on all day."

"Maybe she's an automaton."

"No, I don't think so."

"Oh, really? How would you know? You met any androids?"

"No," Bra lied.

"I'm sorry," Mrs. Peterson spoke up. "I was trying to teach while you two were trying to talk."

"My bad," Relena said, hands up, palms facing Mrs. Peterson. "Just trying to make a friend."

"Excuse me?" Mrs. Peterson snapped. "Don't take that attitude with me! You are on thin ice, young lady!"

Relena straightened her posture, folding her hands together on the desk. "I'm sorry ma'am. Sometimes my mouth runs away with me."

"Well don't let it happen again! Most students try to make a good first impression on me. You've already failed that!" With a huff, their teacher turned back to the board.

Relena smiled and winked at Bra. Bra grinned back.

Maybe class would be more interesting from now on.

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Two thousand years ago I was imprisoned within the earth's crust by six powerful shamans who took it upon themselves to save the planet. They focused their positive energy to form an unbreakable shell around my wrath and me, and transported me deep into the earth.

Alas, the power they had could not make the cage permanent. So with each shift in the earth's axis, the barrier around me weakened. The most recent shift shattered it completely, allowing me to begin my takeover and become stronger from the negative forces above.

As I lie dormant, I can sense the activities of any being above me. This is how I learned of my conduit and so much about him and his companions. 

This is how I learned of the scroll.

The shamans all knew that one day I would break free. One of the shamans, Guar, was also a seer. He saw my future plans in a vision and, along with the other shamans, inscribed the events onto a scroll. The parchment was passed down to their children, and their children's children, and so on as a warning of the destruction to take place.

Of course, as it was almost a trend in those ancient times, the civilization disappeared. The scroll was lost in the ruins of the civilization as year after year coatings of sand blanketed the village.

Imagine my surprise when the scroll was uncovered one month ago. I wasn't fazed at first as I sensed the archaeologists carefully restore it to reading condition; the lost civilization had had its own language. There was little chance they could translate it, and even if they did they would mark it off as ridiculous ancient fortune telling. 

But I didn't count on one of the archaeologists being an undercover member of a secret society not affiliated with any government. He stole the scroll from his comrades and sent it to the society's headquarters. There, they began to translate the passage. When they knew enough to tell where I would strike, what I needed, and had a rough idea of it being soon, they sent a single agent to find the conduit before I did. A young female.

I'm shaking.

They'll never find him until its too late.

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"Exactly how much time do you spend at Capsule Corporations?"

" Just enough to keep it in good business," Trunks replied to Marron's question.

"Does your mom even know how many times you've played hooky?" Goten asked.

"Does your mom know that you're not really going to job interviews?" Trunks retorted.

"Touché."

The trio walked past Satan City Park, past all the neon advertisements for an eclipse party on April eleventh. It was to be held in the park itself. 

"Are you guys going to that?" Marron asked.

"That eclipse thing?" Trunks though for a moment. "I guess so. 'Kaasan will probably make 'Tousan come, so the whole family will probably be there."

"Mine, too," Goten put in. "Maybe we should warn all the food venders about my tousan's appetite..."

"Maybe we should warn them about you two also," Marron retorted. "My parents are coming too. We'll probably just wind up walking around together."

"Do you guys remember what happened at that winter festival in December?" Trunks said, closing his eyes and shaking his head.

"Oh, Dende..." Goten sighed.

Marron smirked. "You mean when Goku actually struck Vegeta in the back of his head with a snowball?"

"I guess he didn't think that Vegeta would get so pissed off," Goten said meekly.

"Vegeta takes _everything_ seriously," Marron pointed out, rolling her eyes. "He chased Goku all over the grounds and they wound up destroying over fifty booths."

"And it didn't help that Goku won a troll doll at one of those games and gave it to 'Tousan," Trunks added.

"The time is soon!" one raving man screamed to anyone who would listen, interrupting their conversation. He looked so helpless and desperate in his ragged clothing, but his manner was wild as he waved an old, beaten sign around. 

"'The world ends on the eclipse.'" Trunks read from the cardboard sign.

Marron began walking faster, shoving her hands into her jacket pockets. "Lunatics. They freak me out."

"End of the world." Goten rolled his eyes. "I think our parents took care of that, oh, about a trillion times. With a little help from us."

Trunks nodded. "Really. I think the earth has been in jeopardy as much as I can stand."


	3. Suspicions Intensify

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters, so don't sue me! o.o

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Chapter Three: Suspicions Intensify

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"You wouldn't want to harm the aliens you're harboring." - Relena

March 25, Monday à 17 days until the eclipse

"You should be more careful," Bra warned. "Mrs. Peterson can give you enough detentions that you'll still be coming here when you're forty."

"Oh, please." Relena smirked. "She doesn't scare me. The only thing that frightens me now is tomorrow's calculus test."

"Really?" Bra replied. "That stuff is so easy."

Relena snorted. "Maybe for you. Any type of math refuses to register in my brain."

"Oh, yeah? What's two plus two?"

"Twenty- two?" Relena answered, making an exaggerated I'm-thinking-so-much-it-hurts face.

Bra giggled. She'd seen that expression on Goku more times than she could count. "Well, if you're that sure you're going to fail, you can come over my house and I'll tutor you a bit."

"Really?"

"Sure." Bra shrugged. "Why not?"

"Thanks."

"Dude, who's that chick with your sister?"

"I don't know."

"She doesn't look fourteen to me."

"So?"

"If she's not in high school, I might ask her out."

"And take her out with what money?"

"The money I could borrow from my rich friend- whoa."

"Jeez."

"Holy crap, man. Do you see her eyes?"

"Why don't you scream that a little louder, Goten. Besides, how could I not see them?"

Bra looked up and saw them. "Trunks! Goten!" She waved at them and pulled the girl over to them.

"Hey, B-chan," Goten said. "Who's this?"

"I'm Relena Carter," Relena introduced herself, extending her arm for a handshake.

"Trunks," Trunks said. "I'm Bra's brother." He shook her hand.

Goten did the same. "I'm Goten. Can I ask you something, Relena?"

"Sure."

"Are those contacts or what?"

"GOTEN!" Trunks and Bra scolded.

Relena laughed. "It's alright, guys. I dunno, Goten. What do you think?"

"I think they're contacts."

"Do you now? Well, that's for me to know and you to find out." Relena smiled slyly.

Goten smiled back. Bra looked back and forth to both of them, and easily realized that they'd taken an immediate... liking to each other. She frowned. All of the sudden she had a nagging feeling in her chest. She'd felt it many times before when she saw a girl flirting with a guy she liked.

It was jealousy.

"Do you want a ride home?" Trunks offered to Bra, interrupting her thoughts.

"We could both use one," Bra replied, trying to ignore her envy as Goten continued to flash that smile at Relena. "I invited Relena over to study."

Trunks arched his eyebrows. "Are you sure Mom and Dad will be okay with that?" Translation: What if Dad is blowing things up in the gravity room?

Bra understood. "I'm sure it'll be fine. We'll stay where we won't bother them." Translation: Don't worry. I'll keep her away if Dad is training.

"Alright," Trunks said, shrugging. Translation: You're nuts.

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I can tell they're speaking in a sort of code. As they talk, their auras signify that they have a secret. Perhaps it is related to my mission. I will keep my eyes and ears open while over their house.

My facade as a teenager has worked well, since I am still very young. It was easier than I thought to make friends with Bra Briefs. She is a pleasant girl, but her aura tells that she is still prone to have an attitude that seems to come from her father.

Even her brother and Goten immediately accepted me as a fourteen-year-old. I'm pretty sure Goten is flirting with me, even though Bra keeps giving him weird looks and trying to change the subject. I think she may be jealous, but I really don't mind flirting back. I don't get a chance to go out with guys too much, and he's pretty cute...

Whoa, girl. Concentrate. Now is not the time to focus on your love life. You have a mission, remember? Saving the world is top priority compared to batting your eyelashes at a guy who has already gained an admirer out of your new friend.

Seventeen days. That is the time I have to find the target and tell him of his part in the destruction.

Not that I know what it is. Even headquarters is still clueless, no closer to translating the remainder of the scroll. They cannot even send someone to assist me, there being so few agents and so many planned Armageddon. I am on my own, with only my aura sensing ability and other enhanced abilities to help me. 

What if they're not enough?

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"Earth to Relena!" Bra waved a hand in front of the girl's face. "You getting out of the car?"

"Sorry," Relena apologized. "Just zoned out to La La Land." She got out of Trunks's car.

"I hope you had a nice trip," Goten said, mimicking a stewardess. "Thank you for flying Trunks Airlines. Buh-bye! Please fly with us again."

Trunks shook his head. "Oh, Lord."

Bra giggled. "See you later, guys." She turned to Relena, gesturing to Goten. "I'm sure he just forgot to take his medication again. The voices in his head and all. Come on."

"Hey!" Goten called after them as the two girls sauntered up the walkway. "We resent that!"

Relena giggled. She had taken an immediate liking to the boy. He was charmingly blunt and to the point, and had no hesitation in asking her about her past, asking a million questions even though she only gave him brief answers. He was very funny too, seeming almost intent of keeping everyone around him in a good mood. His aura was a light orange, but it was strange. She could tell he was in no immediate relation to Trunks and Bra, but there was some genetic similarity among them. She wasn't sure what.

Relena was more than a little frustrated with this case. The short time frame was difficult enough without these people being so confusing. Bra's family had some sort of secret, and Goten had some sort of genetically significant connection with them, but he wasn't a part of their family. So many questions, and no answers. Ugh.

Relena looked around as she followed Bra to the front door. "You live on the Capsule Corporation grounds?" 

"Uh-huh. It's not, like, radioactive or anything."

"Of course not," Relena joked. "You wouldn't want to harm the aliens you're harboring."

Bra didn't respond. She just walked into the house. But Relena could have sworn her face had briefly flamed bright red, and her aura again gave the sense that she was hiding something.

Before she could ask Bra if anything was wrong, a robot greeted them in the front hall, a claw reaching for Relena.

Relena started. "Whoa!"

Her exclamation seemed to startle the robot, which quickly drew its arm back and made a high pitched buzzing noise.

Bra laughed. "It just wants to take your coat!"

As if to prove a point, Bra gave the robot her jacket. The machine then turned its head to Relena and held out its other claw- er, hand- to her.

"Um, here you go," Relena said and handed it her jacket.

It made a few beeping noises and then rolled down the hall to a closet.

"Robot servants, huh?" Relena said, watching the robot hang up their coats. "Do they cook too?"

"Sort of. Mom has to program them to prepare certain things, but she still has to help them out. And they can't do the dishes or they'll be electrocuted."

Relena followed Bra into the girl's bedroom and they flopped down on her bed.

"So, where is your mom?" Relena asked.

"Probably in her workshop. She'll probably take a break soon. You can meet her then."

"And your dad?" Relena pressed.

"Uhhh... He's somewhere, I'm sure. He's pretty solitary, and he doesn't have a job or anything."

"Retired?"

"You could say that." Bra pointed to a framed photograph on her desk. "There are Mom and Dad, standing with Trunks and me at a picnic about a year ago."

Relena picked up the photograph and studied it. "Wait a minute." She pointed to the serious, non-smiling man in the picture. "This is your dad?"

"Yeah."

"And how old is he?"

"Pretty old."

"Older than thirty?"

"Yeah."

"No way."

"Yes way, " Bra responded, laughing.

"Your biological father?"

"Yes!"

"Okay, but I still don't believe it." Relena continued to look at the picture. "Sunny guy, isn't he?"

"You probably won't think of him as being very friendly, but he's really great."

_She adores him_, Relena thought to herself. _Daddy's Little Girl Syndrome_. "Is that a warning that I shouldn't be particularly happy-go-lucky around him?"

"Uh... Yeah."

"Okay."

"Don't try to shake his hand or anything either."

"Alright."

"In fact, just say 'hi' when I introduce you."

"Um... okay."

"Or may be you shouldn't say any-"

"I get it, girl!"

Bra giggled and turned on her stereo. "It's the End of the World As We Know It" by R.E.M. blasted through the speakers:

_It's the end of the world as we know it_

It's the end of the world as we know it

It's the end of the world as we know it

And I feel fine...

Bra's door swung open and a woman who very much resembled Bra came into the room. "Why on earth do you have to blast that thing- oh." Bulma saw Relena beside Bra. "Hello."

Bra turned down the radio. "Hey, Mom. This is Relena Carter."

Relena bounced up off the bed and shook Bulma's hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

Bulma laughed. "I appreciate your manners, but please don't call me 'ma'am'. It makes me feel old."

"Yes, ma'am," Relena giggled. "I mean, Mrs. Briefs."

"Is Dad around?" Bra asked.

"Oh, he's somewhere, I'm sure."

"What does he do all day?" Relena asked.

The question seemed to catch the two off guard. They very clearly became uncomfortable, although they tried to hide their agitation. Bra began searching radio stations and Mrs. Briefs started to wring her hands. (Bra's friends usually never asked that question; if they had any interest in her father they were usually more concerned with catching a glimpse of his body, most often his rear end.) And Relena could see that "we have a secret" tinge in the auras again.

"Oh, well," Mrs. Briefs replied, "he mostly trains for those fighting tournaments."

"Everyday?"

"Yes." Mrs. Briefs seemed a little agitated at Relena's persistence.

"Gomen, Mrs. Briefs," Relena said. "I didn't mean to pry."

"That's alright, Relena."

"We have to study, Mom," Bra hinted.

"Alright," Bulma replied. "Dinner is at six. Be finished with your studying by then."

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It was a clear signal that I was not going to be invited to dinner, as I'd hoped. Not that there would have been a point to it anyway. Obviously the family is very secretive, and finding out anything useful would have been close to impossible. I may have to do more spying to get what I need to determine the target, not that I know exactly who to spy on.

Most of the secretiveness seems to be around the father, whom I've yet to meet. But according to his daughter, he's not very chatty either. I almost suspected him of being the target, but he is too old. There is still, though, some nagging suspicion about him.

It is strange that I still suspect him even though he is older than thirty, and I haven't even met him at all. But there is something different about him that I detect through the family's auras.

Mrs. Briefs's aura is a bright yellow, and with Trunks and Bra's auras being green, Mr. Briefs's is most likely blue. The thing about the children's auras is the equal amounts of yellow and blue. This is common among parents and their children, but this equality... It's odd, but it seems... strangely genetic.

Relena closed her journal file and opened up her email program. The only things that could possibly help out with the case now were those blasted scroll passages. For all she knew, Mr. Briefs was the one, but she and the society needed an absolute certainty to avoid the end of all ends...

TO: IPS

FROM: Messenger

RE: Operation AP

Suspicions about father continue, despite age matter. FBI file reveals a general history, but one that could be easily conjured up. Medical records are nonexistent; the man seems to never have seen a medical official. No police records have been significant. Just a few disruptions at the Brief residence that were chalked up to chemical explosions in Mrs. Briefs's lab.

Auras have also been a concern. Auras of parents and children seem to reveal odd genetic quality. Aura of son's friend has a similarity to that of the son, daughter, and possibly father, but government files reveal no other living relatives.

The case is becoming more complex and could be worth investigating only if these matters are related to the eclipse prophecy. The relation cannot be proven without the full translation of the scroll.

Request full attention on translation of scroll's contents that are to be sent to me ASAP.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


	4. Dream to Nightmare

****

Chapter Four: Dream to Nightmare

__

I have no feelings for this creature, no bond with this woman, this stranger.

March 28, Wednesday à 14 days until the eclipse

-Vegeta-

I jerk awake in the bed, biting my tongue to hold back a scream, clamping my teeth down so hard that I draw blood. I am perspiring heavily, coated in a thin layer of sweat. I breathe with difficulty as I close my eyes, trying to forget what I saw in the nightmare.

My eyes are drawn to Bulma's sleeping form beside me. Her expression is peaceful, her breathing is calm and rhythmic. I haven't woken her. I feel thankful at first, knowing that if she were awake she'd be concerned and nag me about the dream, despite any protest I may have.

Suddenly the idea seems inviting. I long for her arms around me, comforting me, holding me close as I... cry?

I am shocked. Was the nightmare really that horrible? It isn't possible; it was just a dream. I, Prince of Vegetasei, shouldn't be frightened of mere pictures in my mind while I sleep. The notion is ridiculous.

I suddenly feel cold all over, an icy chill rushing through my arms and legs, forming a frigid pit inside my gut. I realize that I am shaking, trembling from the chill. I close my eyes again and breathe deeply and slowly to regain control. The quivering subsides and I feel warm, no longer freezing.

I lay back down beside Bulma. A strand of cerulean hair has fallen across her face. I tuck it behind her ear, cupping her cheek in my palm for a moment. I drape my arm across her waist and close my eyes, eventually falling asleep, slipping into the dream...

"You are mine," the woman says.

She reaches out her hand and strokes my cheek. Her skin is pale and soft, and it gives off a silvery glow. The cavern we are in seems to have shrunk, more closed in around us.

Her other hand takes my arm and pulls me closer to her. I cannot resist, nor can I speak. I can hardly think, my mind is in such a haze. I can only see this exquisite creature before me, only feel her tingling touch.

The room has somehow become dimly lit, perhaps from the glow of the woman's skin. I can see her more clearly now, every fine detail and perfect curve of her body. Her long, shiny ebony hair hangs weightlessly down her back, ending at her waist. Her face is accentuated by her piercing light gray eyes and the mischievous grin of her pouty, black lips. Her gown is very low cut, revealing a generous portion of her breasts, and her sleeves hang loosely off her shoulders, ending in tatters from the elbows. Her skirt is also shredded, the tears beginning not far below her hips. Three diamond shaped cuts in the dress reveal more flesh; the first hole below the breasts, the second beginning at the first's endpoint, and the third beginning at the second's endpoint exposing her navel.

She is beautiful. And very seductive.

As she holds me close to her, she kisses me. First on the mouth, then the cheek. She moves on to my neck, her arms braced around my back.

I feel such horrible guilt as I feel her lips on my skin. She is beautiful, yes. I cannot deny that. But I have my own loving beauty at home, who is still more gorgeous a creature than the one who kisses me now. 

Yet I cannot do anything to stop it. I am unable to move. Paralyzed. Helpless. 

She kisses my chest. I try to move. I try to focus all the energy I have on just getting away. I cannot let this happen. The guilt is horrible. I have no feelings for this creature, no bond with this woman, this stranger. I love my mate.

But I remain still as she kisses me. 

As she claws at me.

It is not painful at first, just a few light scratches. Then it becomes more violent. She begins tearing at my back, drawing blood. I can feel the crimson liquid run from the slashes down my backside. Her lips move from my torso back up to my mouth. Her kisses become more intense and her long black nails claw chunks of flesh from my back. 

I want to scream. I need to scream. The sinful passion mixed with the guilt and horrible pain is too much to bear. The passion itself becomes even more pain as she bites my shoulder, shredding my skin and drawing more blood. Her burning hot tongue laps up the red fluid flowing from the wound.

The biting and the clawing. Biting and clawing. The anguish is horrible, terrifying. I cannot escape. I cannot move. I cannot scream. I cannot even cry. I cannot think at all now; my mind is in a blind panic.

I can only feel the agony of her violent caress. 

Biting and clawing.

Biting and clawing.

Biting and clawing.

Her lips and teeth finally leave my skin, but the daggers of her fingers continue to carve into my flesh, savagely thrashing my back. She gazes into my eyes, her gray irises sparkling as she senses my pain. I stare back at her, into her eyes, and I can see what she desires.

She wants me to help her in her lunacy. 

She wants me as a king and a mate.

She wants my soul

Then I am awake. 

I scream.


	5. Disturbing Behavior

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters

Notes: Someone said that the eclipse reminded them of a Sailor Moon movie. Just to clarify, I never saw any SM movies, so I didn't steal anything from it or anything... and someone else asked why Vegeta couldn't move in the last chapter. Well, what kind of terrible nightmare would it be if he were able to fight back?? Also, some seem to be wondering whose side Relena is on anyway... well, you'll have to wait and see! ^_^

Oh, and I don't know if they celebrate April Fool's Day in Japan, but since DBZ is supposed to be in a completely different universe anyway, I say they do. Don't expect this chapter to be very humorous though.

****

Chapter Five: Disturbing Behavior

__

"Even your father isn't immune from bad nightmares." - Bulma

April 1, Sunday à 10 days until the eclipse

Bra and Trunks sat on an old, creaky wooden bench in Satan City Park. Both were pretty irritated after a seeming endless April Fool's Day. 

Bra and Relena had gone to the mall with a whole group of Bra's friends. Of course, a majority of the group, mostly boys, seemed to love April first. All they did was play stupid tricks on each other, Bra and Relena, and even innocent strangers trying to shop. Bra and Relena decided to leave when one of the boys bought a water gun and used them as his prime targets.

Despite the fact that it was a Sunday, Trunks had to go to work to sign some important papers. Some employees were there too, working overtime, but all they did was play pranks. So many complaints were filed that Trunks nearly fired everyone, especially after about five dozen prank calls.

They weren't tired just because of April Fool's Day, though. Both children had been suffering from sleep deprivation. 

Three nights ago, a scream rang throughout the Brief household. The echo was tinged with such indescribable terror, both Trunks and Bra had been jerked awake. The siblings took it upon themselves to investigate. They concluded that it had originated from their parent's bedroom and, of course, knocked to see if everything was all right. Expecting their otousan to answer and tell them their mother had had a nightmare, they were surprised when it was their okaasan that came to the door.

"'Kaasan," Bra had asked, "did you have a bad dream?"

Bulma shook her head.

"Then why did you yell?"

"I didn't."

Bra was confused, but Trunks immediately understood.

"That was a man's scream," Trunks muttered.

Bulma nodded.

Bra tried to glance into the room, but Bulma purposely blocked her view. "He sounded so... so..."

"Frightened," Trunks finished.

"B- Bulma..." a trembling voice whispered from within the bedroom. 

Bulma looked at her children. "Even your otousan isn't immune from bad nightmares," she had whispered. "Go back to bed."

So they did. 

Only to be awakened twice more. Only to have gotten up twice more. Only to have been informed twice more that it was only a nightmare. Only to see their okaasan twice as worried each time.

The second and third nights, Trunks and Bra hadn't bothered to get up, but still had difficulty in returning to their peaceful slumbers. Each night the screams got worse and more frequent. Their okaasan wouldn't tell them anything, knowing her husband wouldn't want her talking about it. And talking to their otousan was useless. He never spoke about his feelings.

Ever since the first night of the nightmares, their otousan had barely left the house. Even more odd, he hadn't done any sort of training either. He would just sit in a chair and stare blankly out the window or at a wall. He was becoming severely distant, barely listening to anything that was said to him, not even making bitter or sarcastic remarks. The rest of the family was very anxious about this disturbing behavior.

"Hey! Your shoes are untied!"

Bra and Trunks both looked at their feet, saw that their laces were tied, and looked up to see Goten approaching them with his usual grin.

"April fools!" Goten laughed. "I can't believe you guys fell for that one! It's the oldest one in the book." He noticed their sagging expressions and stopped chuckling. "Hey, what's with you two?"

"Crappy day," Bra responded.

"April Fool's Day bites," Trunks agreed bitterly.

"No more jokes, okay?" Bra said to Goten.

"Alright," Goten said. "If you've really had such a bad day, I guess I'll have to cut it out until next week."

"Did you walk here?" Trunks asked.

"Yeah, so I'm gonna need a ride back to your house."

"Huh?" Trunks and Bra grunted.

"'Kaasan and 'Tousan took me along when they went to visit your parents. Your mom asked me to look for you guys since you hadn't come home yet."

"Well," Trunks said, getting up, "you found us, so let's go."

"I wasn't really going to pull anymore pranks anyway," Goten said while they walked to Trunks's car. "'Kaasan didn't want me pissing off Vegeta. She gave 'Tousan and me this whole lecture on the drive over."

"Good," Trunks and Bra replied in unison.

Goten ignored their comment. "What's with your 'tousan anyway? He was, like, really spaced out. He was sitting in a chair staring out the window."

All he got for a reply was the two siblings exchanging glances.

Bulma, Chi-Chi, and Goku all stared at Vegeta, completely shocked. Vegeta didn't seem to care, or even notice, as he stared at his faint reflection in the living room window.

"Uh, excuse me, Bulma," Goku began, "but did he just say he doesn't feel like fighting today?"

"Did he hit his head?" Chi-Chi blurted out. "Or is this some April Fool's thing?"

Bulma glance worriedly at her vacant husband. "He's been like this for days. He won't tell me what's wrong."

Goku stared at his sparring partner. "Uh, Vegeta? You alright?"

Vegeta didn't answer.

"Vegeta?"

Still no response.

"VEGETA!"

"Huh? What?" Vegeta started, then looked at Goku.

"Are you feeling well?"

"I'm fine. Just tired, that's all." He resumed staring out the window.

Now Goku was really concerned. Very un-Vegeta-like behavior. He didn't even glare at him for yelling like that. He didn't even look at him with his usual expression of contempt. 

What the heck was going on with him?

________________________________________________________________________________

The next chapter will be posted soon! And it will be more interesting than this one -_-; The real point of this little note, however, is just to say that I didn't mean to insinuate that Vegeta screams like a girl ^_^; The way I see it, Trunks and Bra just woke up and all, and they didn't really notice that it was a guy's scream and not a girl's until they got to Veggie and Bulma's room. 

Of course, if you don't like Vegeta and prefer the idea of him screaming like a girl, you're welcome to your own opinion. 


	6. Prayers

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or the characters. If I did, I would be rich as Bill Gates, and I would be able bribe my way into the publishing industry so I could make even more money off my fics.

Notes: Some lemon-type junk in here, but nothing graphic. I don't do hentai, so don't expect it.

****

Chapter Six: Prayers

__

I know I can help him if he would just speak to me. - Bulma

April 3, Tuesday à 8 days until the eclipse

-Bulma-

Another scream. It does not shock me awake, however; I've actually become accustomed to his anguished cries, a kind of cruel routine.

He reaches for me in the dark, and I take him into my arms as he sobs shamelessly over my shoulder, his arms hugging my waist. I am his only refuge from the terrifying visions in his sleep. My love comforts him.

He's been like this for days, and I still have no idea what is going on. He refuses to tell me anything, maybe because he thinks he can deal with it, or maybe because he's too damn proud. I tried to give him an opiate to make him sleep, but he refused the offer, perhaps because then he may be trapped in the nightmare. He only wants me to comfort him by holding him until he succumbs to sleep again.

Or by making love.

On the second night of the nightmares it was the only thing I could do to make him relax. I initiated it, caressing him and kissing him, my fingers and lips calming his nerves as they traveled across his body. I pulled him into a sitting position, bracing my legs around his torso and wrapping my arms around his neck. He held me close and kissed me softly, so gently that he actually purred. We made love, slowly rocking together until he was completely calm. Then he gave me a longer, more passionate kiss and lay with me on the bed, falling asleep in my arms.

But other times he is too frightened, violently trembling, to make love. So I put my arms around him and he rests his head against me until he falls asleep.

I let him finish crying and continue with the routine. I take his face in my hands, my palms on his cheeks, so I can look into his bleary eyes. I gently ask him, almost beg him this time, to please, please tell me. What is so horrifying? What is it he sees when he sleeps? I know I can help him if he would just speak to me.

But he just closes his eyes and shakes his head. He will not tell me. I can't say I'm surprised. I am not even sure he could if he wanted to. His entire body is shaking, an aftereffect of the nightmares. It would be difficult for him to form one syllable clearly.

We lay back down and I hold him in my arms; he curls up against me. I have never seen him this vulnerable. The trembling lessens and lessens until he is perfectly still, asleep, me cradling his head in my lap.

I am on the verge of tears myself. Wishing so much for my prince to confide in me. Wishing so hard it hurts. I lightly brush my hand across his cheek, the loving caress making his tense muscles relax. As I stroke his widow's peak, I pray for the nightmares to leave him, to let him be in peace.

It is then that I notice the dark stain slowly spreading across the sheets near my husband's back. I press my fingers on the mark and they, too, become stained. I see more of the substance on my forearms. I sniff the liquid, and a shock jolts through me.

I turn on the light. No... No, it can't be. How could this happen? I stare at the crimson stain, then at my spouse. I gently tilt him to the side a bit and crane my neck to see his back.

I cannot hold back a gasp as I see five fresh, deep scratches in his flesh.

-Vegeta- 

Bulma is in a horrified panic, severely disturbed at the sight of the blood. I hadn't even noticed the stinging sensation in my back until she shook me awake, ordering me into the bathroom so she could bandage me.

I wait there, sitting on the edge of the tub, as she rummages through the cabinet under the sink for gauze and other first aid supplies. As she searches she asks what happened to my back, but I cannot answer her. I had been trying to dismiss the nightmares as what they were: mere dreams, but...

I start as the soreness suddenly gets worse, but it's only Bulma applying a wet, soapy washcloth to the wound, dabbing at the slashes carefully. She's given up on her questions, now concentrating on dressing the wounds. 

I close my eyes, and immediately open them again. I saw _her_. Again. Whenever I close my eyes, even when I blink, she is there. Still ripping open my flesh, clawing through the muscles, tendons, and arteries. Still gazing at me apathetically with her shining gray eyes, irises that glint like the blade of a sharp dagger. Eyes that gleam with every quake of pain that convulses through my body. Eyes that-

"Vegeta?"

I feel her hand on my arm and my unfocused gaze shifts to her concerned face.

"Vegeta," she continues, "you're so pale. Are you okay?"

I give no reply as I stare at her, absently commenting to myself how beautiful she is.

She, however, continues to ramble. "Answer me! Do you feel lightheaded? Maybe you lost too much blood. You might need a blood transfusion-"

"I'm fine, woman," I say, the words coming out barely above a whisper.

Her hand reaches out and touches my face, her fingers caressing my cheek. "You don't look fine," she disagrees. "Your face is practically white, and you feel so cold..."

I take her hand from my face and hold it, my eyes never leaving hers as I rub my thumb across her fingers. "I'm alright, Bulma."

She is doubtful, I can see. She hesitates before replying. "Vegeta," she says quietly, "if you want to talk to me, you can."

I release her hand. "No."

She sighs and continues to bandage the wounds, muttering something about "damn baka stubborn Saiyajins."

My thoughts return to their wandering state as I wonder if I will be able to sleep tonight without seeing _her_. Tearing at my skin. Gnawing on my flesh. 

Biting and clawing.

Biting and clawing.

Biting and clawing...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

In less than one day I will be fully energized. I will capture my conduit and prepare him for my takeover of the planet. I will flood his body and mind with negative energy to turn him back to the dark ways, so the evil will flood through his veins again. I will not tolerate any room for failure.

And I will not fail.

I smile to myself, as my power continues to rise to its maximum. It was a nice touch, adding the gashes on his back. It is not easy to do psychically, but it uses little of my energy and the tearing of his flesh is so exhilarating to me.

I can't wait to do it in person.

I cannot take credit for the dreams, though. That is just the fates trying to warn him. But all the nightmares do is terrify him even though he knows they are only dreams. An accident of fate you'd say. I can't help but chuckle at the fates' foolishness.

I can sense that the society is actually very close to translating the entire scroll. Good for them. I'm fine with that. They can just go ahead and continue on their useless little quest to save this ridiculous planet.

It'll be too late by the time they finish anyway.

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	7. You Have Mail

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters. Those belong to Akira Toriyama, Toei, and a bunch of other people, including the lucky bastards at FUNimation.

Notes: I got really good feedback on my last chapter, and I must say that it's my favorite one ^_^ Thanks for all the nice reviews!

****

Chapter Seven: You Have Mail

__

"You're pretty fast when you fight, but I'm a pretty quick shot." - Relena

April 4, Wednesday à 7 days until the eclipse

"Miss Briefs!"

Bra was shocked awake by Mrs. Peterson's frustrated shriek. The angry teacher was firing her a glare that could almost match her otousan's.

"This is the tenth time today you've fallen asleep in my class! Am I boring you?"

"No, ma'am," Bra responded, restraining a yawn. "I just haven't been getting much sleep lately."

"Well, at least try to stay awake for the last five minutes of school!"

"Yes, ma'am." This time the yawn escaped.

Mrs. Peterson just sighed and went on with concluding the calculus lesson.

Bra had honestly been trying to stay awake all day, but her eyelids wouldn't comply. How many times had her slumber been disrupted last night? Five? Ten? A million? It was always so difficult to get back to sleep, too. She was so worried about her otousan. 

What was wrong with him? Why was he having these nightmares every single endless night? What was in the visions that was so horrifying? Why wouldn't he let his family help him?

So sleepy... but before she could doze off again, Bra was jolted to attention by the final bell.

"Hey," Relena said as Bra gathered her things, "are you okay?"

"Just need sleep," Bra said in monotone.

"How much did you sleep last night?"

"Don't ask. Ugh. How am I supposed to walk home like this?"

"Can't Trunks give you a ride?"

"No. Important meeting." Trunks had to go to some product proposal. Bra was sure the presenters would be thrilled that Trunks was, most likely, also dozing off.

"Well," Relena said slowly. "My house isn't far from here. You could walk there with me and call your parents to come pick you up."

_Home. 'Tousan. Weird behavior. Worries._ "I don't really wanna go home just yet. Could I hang at your place for a while?"

"Well..." Relena trailed off.

"Please?" Bra pleaded weakly.

"I guess."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

__

Good job, Messenger. Why don't you just tell her what you're really doing in Western Capital while you're at it? 

Well, it's too late to get out of it now. I'll just have to keep her out of certain rooms. She's sleepy anyway, so she'll probably just crash on the couch for a few hours. I shouldn't blow this out of proportion.

Man, she looks like she could collapse at any moment.

Why is she so tired anyway? There aren't any major exams approaching, so she wasn't cramming. Late night television? No. She told me she doesn't watch much TV.

Trouble at home? Maybe. She said she didn't want to go home. That could mean family problems.

Well, I'd like to help Bra, I really would, but I can't deal with that now. I have to concentrate on my mission. Headquarters still hasn't sent me the interpretation of that scroll, and there's only one week left. I have no leads and no clues. Only suspicions about this girl's family that may have nothing to do with the eclipse apocalypse.

What am I going to do?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Here we are," Relena said as she opened the front door. "Why don't you just take a nap on the couch, Bra? You look almost dead."

"Thanks," Bra muttered as she stepped into the den. "Can I use your bathroom?"

"Sure." Relena pointed upstairs. "It's right upstairs. Right in front of you when you walk up. I'll be in the kitchen. Do you want a soda or something?"

"Yeah. Thanks." Bra walked up the steps and into the bathroom.

She came out a few minutes later and was about to return downstairs when she saw the door. It was only open a crack, but inside Bra could see parts of technical equipment. She was still dead tired, but her curiosity began nibbling at her brain. What was in there? Why would Relena's parents have a bunch of electronic equipment? She could look in, take just a peek...

What was she saying? This wasn't her house, and she had no right to go snooping around in Relena's family's business. Besides, curiosity killed the cat.

But not a Saiyajin...

_One little peek won't hurt anyone_, Bra told herself as she crept to the door and nudged it open, giving her a better view of the inside of the room. 

The room was fairly large, but boxes that had most likely held the equipment were stacked everywhere. The machinery had all been set up either on or by a desk that was against the left wall of the room. On the desk there was a computer, two speakers, a small camera for transmitting images, a printer, and a fax machine. On the floor by the window several satellite dishes all of different sizes were set up. To the left of the desk was a table with a signal scrambler used to protect private messages, but it had all sorts of attachments to it that Bra guessed improved the quality of the machine. Along with all of that was plenty more technological junk that Bra couldn't even identify.

What the heck was all this stuff used for? Did Relena's parents work for the government or something? Bra was drawn further into the room, towards the computer. It had been left on; a document was displayed on the screen:

__

It was a clear signal that I was not going to be invited to dinner, as I'd hoped. Not that there would have been a point to it anyway. Obviously the family is very secretive, and finding out anything useful would have been close to impossible. I may have to do _more spying to get what I need to determine the target, not that I know exactly who to spy on._

Most of the secretiveness seems to be around the father, whom I've yet to meet. But according to his daughter, he's not very chatty either. I almost suspected him of being the target, but he is too old. There is still, though, some nagging suspicion about him.

It is strange that I still suspect him even though he is older than thirty, and I haven't even met him at all. But there is something different about him that I detect through the family's auras.

Mrs. Briefs's aura is a bright yellow, and with Trunks and Bra's auras being green, Mr. Briefs's is most likely blue. The thing about the children's auras is the equal amounts of yellow and blue. This is common among parents and their children, but this equality... It's odd, but it seems... strangely genetic.

"What the hell...?" Bra murmured.

Suddenly she was struck on the back of the head. She stumbled towards the window and whirled around to see Relena in a fighting stance.

"Well, aren't we nosey?" Relena sneered.

"Well, aren't we a big fraud? Who are you?"

Instead of answering her, Relena tried to hit her with another roundhouse kick. Bra reacted quickly and ducked, lashing out her foot and knocking Relena's other leg out from under her. Relena fell to the ground with a loud thud. Bra lunged at her, but Relena rolled out of the way. Bra spun back around, and Relena was already on her feet and did a third roundhouse kick and struck Bra in the side of the head. Bra stumbled, but quickly regained her balance and jump kicked Relena in the gut. The girl doubled over in pain and fell to her knees by the desk, holding herself up by gripping an open drawer.

"Who are you?" Bra repeated.

Relena didn't answer. She was bent over the drawer, breathing hard.

"I don't want to have to ask again."

"One of those kicks should have knocked you unconscious. Two should put you in a coma," Relena said, still not looking at her. She spat, the blood in her saliva forming a red blotch on the carpet. "You're not even bleeding. Then there's the fact that you actually know how to fight. So the question is, who are you?"

"I asked first."

Before Bra could react, Relena grabbed a shiny black gun from the drawer and was instantly on her feet with Bra in her sights.

"I don't care," she hissed. "You're pretty fast when you fight, but I'm a pretty quick shot. I think it's in your best interest to cooperate."

"You don't know who you're dealing with," Bra snapped.

"Neither do you. Now, what is this secrecy about your otousan?"

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Don't bullshit me, girl. You read the entry. I watched you read it. You know I can see auras. There's something special about your papa. Am I right?"

Bra growled at her.

"Tell me."

"No."

"Would you rather have your brains plastered on the wall behind you?"

Bra looked over her options. She could give in and tell this stranger about her dad. Yeah, right. She could try to kick the gun away. She could try to dodge the bullet. Or she could blow up the girl.

But Relena was right. She didn't know whom she was dealing with. Because of her drowsiness this girl had almost matched her in their fight, and she didn't know how fast a shot she was. And if she could see auras, she might be able to judge her every move and shoot Bra in the head before she could even flinch. Could her half-Saiyajin skin withstand bullets?

_Hmmm. Shoulda asked 'Tousan about that._ "Why do you want to know?" Bra asked, suddenly wishing she'd spent more time training than shopping.

"That's confidential."

"Why?" Bra insisted.

"I promise you that I'm not out to hurt your 'tousan or anything."

Bra smirked.

"What is your problem?"

"You couldn't hurt my 'tousan."

"But I can hurt you."

The smile faded into an expression of uncertainty.

"You have three seconds," Relena continued, pointing the revolver at Bra's forehead.

_What should I do?_

"Three..."

_I could try to attack, but she might shoot me. I don't even know if I can withstand the bullet..._

"Two..."

__

I don't want to shoot a ki blast. I really don't want to kill anyone, and it'll attract everyone's attention and give everything away anyway.

"One..."

"ALRIGHT!"

Relena grinned. "Start talking."

Bra hesitated. "I'm half-human."

Now Relena's smirk vanished. "W-what?"

"You heard me."

Relena stared at her blankly for a moment, and then her mind finally comprehended the words. _Half-human? That means she's half alien. But that's impossible... It can't be true...but she's not lying. Her aura shows she's telling the truth. Holy shit. That means... her father is an alien? Holy shit. That's why she wasn't knocked unconscious. That's why she's so strong. That's why she's a good fighter. That's what all the secrecy was about. _Relena looked Bra over. She sure looked human. Of course, if she didn't, Relena wouldn't be the first to discover this secret.

"W-what about Goten?" Relena didn't notice that her outstretched hand was shaking.

"What about him?"

"You heard me, shimatta!" Relena yelled, her nerves shot. "I saw the difference in him too."

"His otousan is also a Saiyajin."

__

Saiyajin. The name of the race. The alien race. Aliens. Holy shit. They really exist. Holy shit.

"W-why would he be living here on earth?" Relena asked out of her own curiosity. "Why isn't he living on his planet?"

"His planet was destroyed about fifty years ago."

"Fifty years? His lived here for fifty years and no one else has found out?"

"Thirty."

"Huh?"

"He's only lived here for about thirty years. Not fifty."

The computer on the desk beeped. The words "YOU HAVE MAIL" appeared on the screen. Still aiming the gun at Bra, Relena reached over to the mouse and clicked the little blinking envelope. E-mail appeared on the screen. Relena glanced at the message, back at Bra, and then did a double take at the message. She stared at the screen, her eyes widening. _Those idiots..._ She looked at Bra and tossed the gun to the ground.

"Take me to your otousan!" Relena grabbed Bra by the shoulders. "I have to see him!"

Bra brushed her off, more relaxed now that the gun was on the ground. "Are you nuts? You just attacked me!"

"Forget about that!" Relena turned from her and raced downstairs.

Bra chased after her, following her outside into the driveway. Relena opened the door of her car.

"Why do you need to see him?" Bra asked. 

"Believe it or not, I'm here to help him."

"There's a faster way." Bra had already concluded that it would be better to trust her. After all, how could she possibly do any harm to her otousan, one of the strongest fighters in the universe?

"How?"

Bra grabbed her by the waist and Relena gasped as she lifted her into the air and started to fly her to the Brief residence.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

I have seen other Saiyajin peoples fend off bullets (Radditz, Gohan...), but I still think Bra had a right to be worried. She doesn't fight much and all, so... oh, why am I explaining this? That's what happened and if you don't like it, then I'm sorry. It is hard to come up with these plots to satisfy you people, you know... ;.;


	8. Too Late

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z or any of the characters. I would LOVE to own Vegeta though... ::sighs::

****

Chapter Eight: Too Late

__

"You have no reason to cry, woman." - Vegeta

Same day

The brilliant weather the region had been experiencing lately had taken a turn for the worse early in the morning when it had rained for a few hours. Even after the downpour gray, dreary clouds continued to hide the sky, and the temperature had dropped to about fifty degrees. 

Bulma sat behind Vegeta on their bed as she changed the bandage on his back. She smothered the cuts with bactine, but Vegeta didn't flinch from the burning. He just silently stared into the mirror at his own reflection.

Bulma glanced up now and again, but his solemn expression never changed. She sighed inwardly, still wishing he would open up to her.

But he never did, of course.

She still didn't know how the claw mark had gotten on his back. Neither of her hands had had blood nor skin under the nails. His hadn't either, although it would be impossible for him to cut himself in such a way anyway. There were only the slashes and the blood soiled sheets that had been thrown into the trash; no amount of washing would have removed the large stain. It was also strange that the cuts seemed to be healing very slowly. Vegeta usually healed very quickly when injured, but the scars showed no sign of mending soon.

Bulma finished changing the bandage, studied her handiwork for a moment, and then once again returned her gaze to her husband's blank stare in the mirror. He blinked, as if returning to reality, and their eyes met.

"Thank you," he whispered.

The phrase gave her a minor shock for an instant, it wasn't a common thing for him to say, but then she smiled at him warmly. "You don't have to thank me. I was happy to do it."

Without a word, he twisted around on the bed to embrace her. She hugged him back, careful to avoid the wound. 

After a minute or two she realized his shoulders were shaking. He was crying again, burying his face in her neck. She felt the tears fall into the crook of her neck and slide down her shoulder blades.

"Vegeta," she said gently.

He raised his head and looked at her, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"You have to tell me," she continued. "Please. Hiding it from me can only make it hurt more."

He shook his head, eyes downcast. 

"It can only hurt me, too."

Vegeta looked back at her face. She was weeping. He raised his hand and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks.

"You have no reason to cry, woman."

"Yes, I do. You keep hiding this from me. The more you hold it in, the more pain it causes. And the more pain you are in, the more pain I feel for you. Why won't you tell me?"

Silence from her husband.

"You can tell me anything. Don't you know that? You know I wouldn't judge you."

More silence.

"Please, Vegeta. I'm begging you."

Still nothing.

She couldn't take this anymore. Every night he would wake up from his nightmare, and she would comfort him until he finally returned to his slumber, only to wake up five more times. Every night he would refuse to tell her what was wrong, even though she assured him that telling her would make him feel better. Every night she would see the same look of horror and anguish on his face. Every night she wished his pain would stop...

Suddenly, Bulma broke from their embrace, stood up, raised her hand, and slapped him across the face before she even knew what she was doing. Vegeta's head was jerked to the side, his left cheek tinged pink.

Bulma was still angry. "Shimatta! Tell me! I'm your wife for Dende's sake!" Her voice cracked and she sunk to her knees, crying. "Why won't you tell me?" she sobbed.

She felt him slide off the bed and kneel on the floor beside her. He took her hand and gave it a squeeze. She glanced up at his face. 

She reached up and stroked the cheek she had struck. "I- I'm so sorry. I... I just..."

"It's alright," he said softly. He took her chin and raised her head, kissing her on the lips. "I understand."

"Please tell me," she whispered.

"Do you really want to know?"

She nodded. "I want to help you. Please let me help you, Vegeta."

He was silent for a moment, then spoke. "In my nightmares... there's this woman and-" Vegeta stopped, staring at the window.

"And what?"

"There's something outside."

Bulma looked at the window too. From the floor she couldn't see anything past the glass. "What?"

"I'm not sure. It might be nothing." He got to his feet. "I'll be right back."

"It's cold. You should at least put on a pair of jeans."

He did as she requested without dispute, another behavior oddity.

"Hiking boots, too," Bulma added. "It's like a swamp outside."

Again, he obeyed. Then he left the room. Bulma watched from their window and saw Vegeta appear in the backyard. He walked further out into the yard, his boots sinking into the soggy soil, and stopped in the center. He looked around warily, a bit perplexed.

Bulma felt a chill shudder down her spine. The hairs on her arms and neck stood straight up. A feeling of dread overtook her senses. There was something wrong. Something bad was going to happen. She was sure of it.

She yanked open the window to call to her husband. A cold chill seeped into the warm room. "Vegeta?"

He looked over his shoulder.

Bulma saw the surprise and alarm in his eyes as the earth opened up beneath him and swallowed.


	9. Swallowed

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z, and claim no rights to the characters, you see. To do so, though, would be so grand... um... I play the flute in the high school band?? (Damn... I wanted to make a GOOD rhyme...)

Notes: Thankies on all the good reviews!!! ^_^ Someone even called me a genius... although if they knew me in person their opinion might sway more towards "weird." Anywho, I know the "chapters" are somewhat short, but this story wouldn't be suspenseful without... erm... suspense! ... I need a thesaurus...

****

Chapter Nine: Swallowed

__

Oh, Dende, no. Please. Just let me be. Please... - Vegeta

Same day

Vegeta didn't fall for very long before he landed right on a rock surface, getting the wind knocked out of him. He had fallen into a cavern.

_Cavern? Wait a minute..._ He slowly stood up and looked around, recognizing his surroundings. It was the cavern from his dream.

The cave from his nightmare.

Vegeta looked straight up and saw the hole he had fallen through, illuminated by the dull, gray light of the cloudy sky.

"Vegeta!" he heard Bulma scream from far above.

He moved to fly out of the cave, only to be interrupted by the voice. The cold, chilling voice that was so warm and soothing at the same time.

"Vegeta..." it called.

_No no no no..._

Just go. Fly. Get out.

As in the dream, Vegeta moved to obey the woman's beckoning call.

"Vegeta!" Bulma yelled again. She was outside now. Vegeta looked up and saw her face in the hole in the ceiling.

He went to escape the cave again, but the voice stopped him in his tracks.

"You can only hear me, Vegeta."

Bulma's voice faded away, along with the image of her in the cave entrance.

_No no no no no..._

"You do not see the light, Vegeta."

The dim glow also vanished, and the cavern became pitch black

_This can't be happening. It was only a dream!_

"Come."

_No. No no no no. I won't. I won't._

But he did anyway. The voice was putting Vegeta in a trance. His mind was becoming foggy. He could barely think. He no longer had control over his body. He obeyed the order, making his way across the cave.

He could see the woman's faint outline in the dark. Suddenly he could think again, but only of razor-like teeth piercing his skin and long, black claws raking across his back. Vegeta began to panic, remembering the feeling of her nails digging deep into his tissue, carving out chunks of flesh and drawing streams of warm blood.

_No. What are you doing, Vegeta? Run. Run damn you._

But he couldn't. He continued to approach the woman.

_Oh, Dende, no. Please. Just let me be. Please..._

He stopped a few feet from the woman. Even in the dark he could see the fiendish grin on her face. 

"You are mine," she whispered.

Then there was blackness.

"Vegeta!" Bulma screamed from the open window. She raced out of their bedroom, down the stairs, through the kitchen, and out into the backyard. She dashed across the wet ground over to the hole that he had vanished into. She fell on her knees, not giving the mud that splattered on her pants a second thought, and peeked downwards.

"Vegeta!" she hollered again when she spotted him about thirty feet below.

He looked back at her, seeming to break from deep thought, and Bulma thought he was going to fly out.

"You can only hear me," an icy voice hissed from deeper within the underground cavern, its resonance snaking from the dark and making Bulma shudder.

Vegeta froze, and his eyes seemed to glaze over.

"V- Vegeta?" she called to him.

"You do not see the light, Vegeta," the frigid voice continued.

His eyes became cloudier. His body remained still.

"Vegeta!" Bulma shrieked, reaching into the cavern.

He didn't answer her.

"Come," the voice commanded.

"Don't listen!"

To Bulma's dismay, Vegeta turned his face from hers, and began to slowly walk towards the voice's origin.

"Vegeta!" Bulma screeched, crying now. "Stop!"

He couldn't hear her. He continued to walk; she watched as he disappeared into the darkness, enveloped in a curtain of ebony.

"Come back!"

Suddenly the hole closed up by itself, quickly and easily; Bulma barely had time to withdraw her arm. The yard became clear of any blemishes other than the round patch of dirt she kneeled upon.

Bulma remained on her knees, shaking in disbelief of what had just happened. She became aware of something warm on her skin, and turned her face upward to see that the sun had emerged from the heavy veil of clouds, casting its warm, comforting glow on the soggy ground.

She glanced back down at the ground, tears streaming down her cheeks.

She screamed.

Bra set Relena down in the driveway, and they hurried towards the front door.

Then an anguished scream erupted from the backyard. The two girls ran around the house into the rear yard. 

Bulma was screeching, clawing at the earth desperately. She was crying, splattered with mud, and completely out of control. 

Bra ran to her okaasan, pulling her to her feet. Her okaasan writhed in her grip, still shrieking, trying to get back to the ground.

"'Kaasan!" Bra yelled. "Calm down! What happened?"

"He's gone!" Bulma yelled. "It took him!"

"Who? 'Kaasan! Calm down! What took who?"

Bulma was suddenly more tranquil, the tragedy finally taking its toll on her. "Your father," she whispered. "It took your otousan."

" 'T-tousan? What took him? What?"

Bulma replied, still a bit incoherent. "I don't know. The ground opened and he fell.... I yelled to him but it.... it hypnotized him or something.... he couldn't hear me..." 

"We're too late," Relena said. "It got to him before I could."

Bulma looked up at the girl. "W-what? What do you know about what happened to Vegeta?" Bulma became angry. "What happened to him?"

"I- I'm not exactly sure."

"But- but aren't you Bra's friend? How would you know anything...Who are you?"

Relena hesitated, unsure how to explain. She took the direct approach. It was time to come clean anyway. "I... was sent by an agency to stop an evil power from taking a conduit. But I didn't know who it was. I... I did some investigating but it didn't produce any conclusive information to who it was..."

She stopped when she saw the glare Bulma was shooting at her. The enraged woman marched over to her, looked her in the eyes and slapped her across the face.

Bulma pointed to the clawed ground. "There's your fucking conclusive information! The ground opened up and swallowed my Vegeta-chan. Then some... some thing took him from me!" She fell to her knees, sobbing into her soiled hands. Bra knelt down next to her and hugged her.

Relena remained calm, despite the slap. "I'm sorry. But I promise you, ma'am, I'm going to do all I can to get your husband back."

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I stand in my lair, a cavern much larger than the one I formed under the Briefs' backyard. It is barren and frigid, the perfect spot to continue my plan. Above me is where I will attack. Where I will begin my domination of the earth.

In my arms is the unconscious Prince Vegeta, prince of the mostly obliterated Saiyan race, my conduit. He is almost lifeless, his only movement his slow, steady breathing. His fear is so fresh in my senses, still exhilarating to me. In his trance, it was easy to induce his blackout. It will be just as simple to have complete authority over him.

I lean over and kiss him, almost crushing his mouth with my lips. Through the lip-lock I suck out all of his free will; he is now under my power.

It is heavily arousing having such a powerful man at my mercy. I kiss him again, this time for my own pleasure, biting his lower lip. I nip so hard that blood flows and I lick the blood from the tear in the flesh. I have the tantalizing urge to ravish him, to feel his warm body against my cold skin.

I would prefer to do even more, but there will be plenty of time for sexual indulgence after my plot is carried out. 

As I said to him, he is mine.

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So whaddaya think of my villainess? What? You want to know her name? Well, you'll just have to wait until chapter ten ^-^ I'll give you a hint though. I got her name from a song that I believe was written by Hole (I'm pretty sure it's Hole anyways o.o). So depending on what music you listen too, the answer could be obvious or still nonexistent.


	10. The Scroll

Disclaimer: I don't own nuthin'.

Notes: Well, nobody guessed the name of my villainess... -_- I am _sooo_ disappointed in you people. j/k Anywho, her name is revealed in this chapter, so read on!

p.s. Kim says hi. (You may remember her from certain fics...)

****

Chapter Ten: The Scroll

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Finding comfort only in the arms of true love - The Scroll

A few hours later

-Goku-

"Alright, Relena," I said, "if that is your real name. We've gone along with you and told you about us and our past, so why don't you tell us about you?"

The American girl with the neon eyes nodded back at me. "Just one moment." She turned back to the computer in Bulma's workroom and continued clacking at the keys furiously.

"How about now?" Trunks snapped. He looked as if he want to sock the girl, but he remained at his okaasan's side, his arm around her while Bra held her hand.

"I can't speak while I'm concentrating on this right now."

"What are you doing anyway?" Goten said from beside me. He had come along when Bra called me at Relena's request.

_"You have to come over right away," she insisted. "It's 'Tousan... 'Kaasan says something took him, and Relena says you might be able to help-"_

"Relena?" I replied. "Isn't she your new friend that Goten told me about?"

"Relena apparently isn't who she's claimed to be for the past couple weeks..."

"I'll be right over."

"Thank you. I'll call Trunks."

So here we all were. Bra and Trunks were comforting their okaasan on the couch behind Bulma's computer work station, where Relena was typing. Goten and I stood, there being nowhere else to sit.

"I asked you a question." Goten said.

"I'm getting one of my files from my house," Relena replied, irritated. "Just be quiet for a second." 

"How can you do that?" I asked.

"By hacking of course."

"Is it important?" I continued.

"Yes! Quiet, please!"

Everyone was silent for a few moments. Relena stopped clacking and turned to us in the rotating chair.

She sighed. "I am a member of a secret organization not affiliated with any government. The International Prevention Society, or IPS, prevents end of the world situations to the best of its ability using the few agents that it has. Everyday there are numerous situations that occur around the same time, and there is often only one agent available to work on each case. We receive information about these Armageddon from ancient documents, myths, legends, and sometimes they begin out of the blue. If there isn't enough information about the situation, and agent is sent to investigate."

"This is one of those cases. HQ only knew where the apocalypse was to occur, that it was supposed to happen soon, and that a conduit was needed for the evil force to achieve its goal. I was sent to investigate the situation more and see if I could find the conduit. It was quite lucky of me to pass by the academy on March twenty-first. I spotted Bra... there was something about her and her brother. Their auras were so unique. There was something so distinct about them. I thought that it very well could be a lead to the conduit."

"Well, I was right. The force has taken Vegeta. I failed to find him before the evil got to him."

"Why should we believe you?" Trunks said. "You've lied to us about who you are and where you're from. You attacked Bra-"

"She stuck her nose where it didn't belong. I didn't know what she would do after she read my journal entry."

"Why should we believe anything you tell us?" Trunks insisted.

"Because I have the one thing that could tell us how to help your otousan."

"What's that?" I asked.

Relena turned back to the computer screen and opened the file she'd retrieved from her own computer across town. "This is the scroll that brought me here."

She read:

In two milleniums on the day of the vernal equinox

The evil of the earth shall be released

From her cage Seether shall gather energy

Power derived from the negative emotions of the planet's inhabitants

Her rage will be released on the day of the sun's momentary vanishing

Her ill will spread from the city of the devil

Engulfing the minds of every living being

Leaving nothing pure behind

Far above her, as she increases her power, the conduit will be unaware

His fate revealed only in evil nightmares that warn of the future

He shall seek refuge from the visions in love

The love that drives the horror away until the dream's return

He shall be haunted by the relentless dreams

Not showing his fear in the light of day

As a prince of less than three decades on the planet

Finding comfort only in the arms of true love

She who holds his heart and soul

And a constant savior, a soldier of which loyalty was not meant to be

With the aid of a friendly stranger

Can save him from the incubus's hypnotic spell

Can release him from a future as Seether's king

If love conquers all

Relena turned around. "The city of the devil would be Satan City. The sun's momentary vanishing is the total solar eclipse to occur in one week. The conduit is Vegeta, the prince of less than three decades on the planet. Those morons at headquarters took that to mean that the conduit was about thirty years old. They didn't tell me the specific translation."

"The nightmares," Bulma whispered. "That is what was in his dreams?"

Relena nodded.

"He wouldn't tell me," Bulma continued. "He wouldn't tell me about the nightmares..." Bulma's voice became stronger. "She won't have him. I won't let her. I'll save him."

"No way, Bulma," I contradicted. "This is way too dangerous-"

"Did you hear what Relena said?" Bulma glared at me. " 'She that holds his heart and soul.' That would be me, Goku."

"She's right," Relena put in. "And I would most likely be the friendly stranger."

"And the constant savior is you, Dad," Goten said to me. "The soldier of which loyalty was not meant to be? Let's face it. If you hadn't hit your head when you were little you'd be taking orders from Vegeta."

"I'm going to contact headquarters," Relena said, turning back to the computer. "We're going to need some diggers."

"Diggers?" Bra said.

"Seether is also referred to as the evil of the earth. We're going to have to do some hiking underground."

"I h-have a question," Bra said. "Why 'Tousan? I mean, I know Seether must have wanted someone powerful, but why not Goku?"

"Goku is more powerful than Dad," Trunks added. "Even if 'Tousan won't admit it."

"Think about it," Relena said as she typed an e-mail to headquarters. "If you were an evil power looking to control someone, would it be easier with Goku, who has a pure heart and an innocent mind, or your otousan, who used to be evil and has had a violent, traumatic past?"

There was silence among the group.

"Oh," Bra said. She thought for a moment. "Do you think we can stop her?"

"Yeah," I agreed. "How powerful is this Seether?"

"Obviously more powerful than Vegeta," Bulma muttered miserably.

"Not necessarily," Relena said. "Vegeta was having nightmares, right? How bad were they Bulma?"

Bulma closed their eyes. "Very bad," she whispered, obviously not wanting to elaborate.

"Seether must have been in them," Relena said.

"Are you saying that she got Vegeta because he was scared of her?" Goten asked skeptically.

"It probably helped her out," Relena said. "We really don't know how powerful she is."

"Wait, wait," I stopped her, waving my arms in front of me. "Frightened? Vegeta? No way. I have a hard time believing that, Relena. Vegeta is a tough guy. You haven't met him, but I know Vegeta and I can tell you he isn't afraid of anything."

"Well," Bulma broke in, "I know him better than you do, Goku. I sleep in the same bed with him. And I saw the look on his face every freaking night when he woke up. And I can tell you," she paused for a moment, glaring at me, "he was scared."

-Vegeta-

It's so quiet. The eerie silence accompanied by the total darkness and frigid cold. 

So quiet.

Yet I can tell I am not alone. She is here also. Preparing for her plan. 

I cannot see her. Even if there was a faint light in this empty crypt I could not. I lay motionless on the stone floor, eyes closed. I cannot move or see. I can only feel the cold and sense the darkness. I can hear, but there is still no sound.

I know the danger I am in, yet the spell I am under keeps me tranquil. At least I can think now. My mind is very clear and open in this place between being awake and being asleep. 

Yet all I can think of is Bulma.

My mate.

She who holds my heart and soul. She who understands me. She who accepts me for who I am. She who bore my son, Trunks, and my daughter, Bra. 

My queen.

So fiery and brilliant. So beautiful. I can picture her to the last miniscule detail. Her flowing azure hair. Her intelligent blue eyes. She is my one and only. The one who truly saved me from my insanity. 

My love. 

The one I could hold in my arms forever. The one who held me in her arms when I was plagued by the horrible nightmares.

The only one who can save me from the creature that watches over me now.

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Hey, I think Vegeta can be... er... waffy... at times. At least in his head anyhow. You and I both know he wouldn't be caught dead saying any of that stuff outloud.

I know you guys think that these chapters are short, but that's the way they gonna be, a'ight? lol

Ahem, and now a word from Kim... ( I have no idea what she's going to say but whatever it is I'm gonna hafta post it -_-)

Kim: Hehehehehe! Hiyas!!!!!! I love you all! Well, not really but anyhoo, Pammie loves Veggies to death!! Yatta and I love Goten-kun!!! Mwah! I'm out like bellbottoms!! Ja ne, minna!

... That was very nice Kim... Hey, I like bellbottoms...-_-;


	11. Danger Underground

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or the characters (other than Relena).

Notes: Someone told me to "hurry and finish" this, but when writing fanfics, you have to take your time, or else your story won't turn out the way you want it to...

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Chapter Eleven: Danger Underground

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"We'll see how much love can save you when it no longer exists." - Seether

April 5, Thursday à 6 days until the eclipse

"Let's get moving people!" Relena shouted through a bullhorn. "When I said I needed this done soon, I didn't mean next century!"

"Hey!" a man yelled, trying to grab the bullhorn back. "You don't have the authority to order my men-"

Relena shoved the horn back into his hands. "They are my men, Grayson," she hissed so the workmen couldn't hear. "HQ explained to you that I was in charge. I said I want them to work fast, and they're sitting on their asses. You get them to work, or I will."

Relena stalked away. Grayson was a member of the society, also the operator of a construction company. The society contacted him and ordered him to disregard any other jobs for the day and dig up the back yard of the Brief household. 

Of course, every one of his employees was a complete sloth.

"Bulma," she said as she entered the house, "Are you guys almost ready to go?"

"Yes," Bulma answered from her seat on the kitchen chair. She looked exhausted, dark rings surrounding her eyes. "We've packed all the necessities." 

Relena knelt down in front of her. "I must warn you that this mission is going to be very difficult. And dangerous. We may need you, but I won't force you to go if you're not up to it. I understand this has been very stressful-"

Bulma stopped her. "I'm going. I have to."

Trunks wandered in with his cell phone while having an argument with his secretary. "I told you, I'm going on a trip...You don't need to know where... Then cancel...Yes, everything...I don't know when I'll be back...Don't contact me on the cell phone. I won't have it with me...No, I can't bring it...Because I'm not going to. Why do you have to ask-...Look, I can't deal with you right now!" Trunks hung up on her. It rang again, and he crushed it in his hand in frustration.

"Remind me you need a new one of those," Bulma said as he tossed it in the garbage can. "Are you and your sister ready?"

Trunks nodded. "Is it time to go? Goten and Goku aren't even here."

"Not yet," Relena muttered, glancing out the window. The men had stopped again. "Aargh! That's it..." 

She stomped outside and over to Grayson again, grabbing his arm.

"Ow! That hurts!" he cried out.

"Look, I don't know how the hell you got into the society, but if you don't get those men digging faster, I'm going to rip your arm off!"

Grayson nodded and held the bullhorn to his lips. "You all have two seconds to get to work, or you're all fired!"

The men looked up in surprise, and then hurried into the fairly deep ditch they had dug. They got to work, plunging their shovels into the moist soil.

"Make sure they keep it up," Relena said to Grayson. "We're on a tight schedule, understand?"

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He kneels before me, somewhat unconscious, eyes closed, his arms limp at his sides. My hand on his forehead the only thing holding his head up. I bombard his mind with negative energy, erasing any memory he has. I need complete control over him. Just having his will may not be enough. Turning him to my will shall be quite simple.

There, it is done. I lift my hand from his head. 

"Wake up," I order.

His eyes open and he lifts his head. He stares at me, silent and emotionless.

Now for the test. "Let's see how obedient you are, Vegeta-chan." I pause to think of a good question. "Who are you loyal to?"

He looks me straight into the eyes and replies, "Bulma."

A shock runs through me. "What?"

"My mate."

Now I am angry. How could it have not worked? He was helpless, powerless in the trance. I erased all of his memories... Didn't I? "How can you remember her?"

"I love her."

He falls to the side after I strike him across the face with my fist. Having no control over his body, he does not get back up.

I must calm down. Think this through. My mind erasing didn't work. And it didn't work because he didn't forget his wife. And he didn't forget her because he loves her.

I smile to myself. Well, I'll just have to do something about her...

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"We've broken into a cavern!" one of the workmen yelled.

"Good," Relena said to herself. She turned to the group of people before her: Bulma, Trunks, Bra, Goku, and Goten. "Are we all ready?"

They all nodded. Like Relena, they were all in suitable hiking clothes: long sleeved shirts, warm pants, and hiking boots; it could get pretty chilly below the earth's surface. Also, they each had a backpack filled with extra clothes, food, and other necessities.

"Alright, but before we go you all need one of these." Relena reached into her bag and pulled out six walkie-talkies. "In case we get separated, we can contact each other on these. They are also equipped with receivers that locate the signal from each other's transmitters." 

"My transmitter," Relena continued, "is right here." She pulled back the left sleeve of her T-shirt. A microchip was half embedded in her shoulder. "So you'll always be able to find me even if I don't have a walkie-talkie."

Five gawks.

"Every agent has one of these so the society is aware of their location."

Five gawks accompanied by nodding.

Relena pulled her sleeve back down and put on her backpack. "This will be a long trek, but hopefully less than six days. They could be anywhere under the city. Ready?"

"Yes," they replied in unison, even though they sounded unsure.

Relena was a little worried herself.

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I put my hands out in front of me, palms facing the dark soil of the walls. I concentrate some of my negative energy on the dirt, and five mounds of earth emerge from the mud and shape into dark creatures with no distinguishing features except two dark pits that serve as eyes.

"Go," I order. "Destroy her in the most agonizing way possible."

They stretch to the ceiling and disappear into the soil above, quickly making their way to their target.

I turn to my paralyzed conduit, who is kneeling in the dirt, arms at sides, eyes fixed on the wall before him.

"We'll see how much love can save you when it no longer exists," I say. 

He shows no reaction, but I can sense his distress.

I chuckle. "Do not worry. Everything will be fine once you remember nothing and become obedient to me."

He is now bitter, resenting me.

"Oh, Vegeta-chan," I say, pouting. I kneel down in front of him and trace my nail along the indents of his muscular chest. I stare him in the eyes. "You're hurting my feelings. I bring you all the way down here so I can make you my king and you are ungrateful."

He is wishing he could kill me.

"You couldn't hurt me if you tried," I respond, licking his cheek with my tongue. "Even you know that by now. What is the problem anyway? You get to become king of this entire planet. I would think the idea would be attractive to you." I kiss his neck, moving my lips up to his ear. I snicker. "All you have to do is kill your two children, your colleague and his son, and then help me take over the minds of every person on this planet."

He hates me.

Fine.

He won't for long.

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"The workmen have left," Relena said, glancing at her watch. Finally, it was about seven o'clock. Almost a whole day gone. "It's time for us to get going. Do you all have your transceivers?"

They nodded, holding up their walkie-talkies.

"All right."

Goku hesitated. "Are you sure we shouldn't call Gohan or Krillin or anyone to help us out?"

Relena nodded. "The less people involved, the better. That's priority in the society. We don't need to get too many people involved. Less lives to risk. Plus, that way there are fewer people who know about us. Which is why when this is over I'd appreciate it if you all didn't tell anyone about my organization or me. Not Gohan, not Krillin, not anyone. Understand?"

The five nodded.

They made their way over to the vertical tunnel the workmen had dug, and Relena was the first on the ladder. One by one the adventurers made their way into the dark cavern.

Goten flicked on his flashlight first. "Man." He shivered. "It's freezing down here."

"And empty," Trunks added.

"What do you expect to be down here?" Goku asked.

"I dunno. Stalactites, stalagmites, and things like that you know?"

"Stalacmites?"

"Well, all I see are a rock floor and stone ceiling," Bra said. She flashed the light around. "And a dirt wall, a wall, a wall, a monster, a wall- AHHH!"

The dirt creature leapt towards her. Bra dodged and it splattered across the ground.

"What the hell was that?" Bulma yelled.

"What the hell _is_ that?" Goten asked as the creature quickly reformed itself.

"I don't know," Goku said. "But there are more of them."

Everyone huddled together as five mud creatures closed in on them.

"Seether must be anxious to dispose of us," Relena said.

"With dirt people?" Trunks muttered. "This will be easy."

Trunks shot a blast at one of the monsters. It fell to pieces on impact, mud plopping on the ground.

"See?" Trunks smirked proudly, looking a lot like his otousan at the moment.

Then it pulled itself back together.

"Uh, oh..." Trunks said, smile vanishing.

"That's not good," Goten agreed.

"Shouldn't the blast have disintegrated it?" Bulma asked.

"Seether's magic is too strong for you to destroy them," Relena said.

"So what do we do?" Goku asked. A creature ran towards him, and he splattered it with a blast. The mud slid off the wall and the monster recompiled itself.

"There's only one thing to do."

"What's that?" Bra asked.

Relena grabbed Bulma's arm. "RUN!!!"

She pulled Bulma down a tunnel, moving so fast that Bulma could hardly keep up with the girl's pace. But that didn't matter, because in moments their four fellow travelers were with them, Goku picking up Bulma and Goten carrying Relena so they could move at a faster rate, Trunks and Bra running behind them.

As they ran, their only guides in their escape were the flashlights, revealing forks in the tunnels, narrowing and widening walls and ceilings. They raced through tunnel after tunnel, hunching over in narrow spaces and making random turns, but the creatures were just as swift, even gaining on the group. They flew after them, sliding along the floor, which had eventually turned from stone to dirt.

Suddenly, two more creatures popped up in front of the six at an intersection. The adventurers stopped in their tracks, the frictionless mud causing them to fall onto the ground. Goku dropped Bulma, who landed beside him, and Goten dropped Relena, who collapsed onto his lap. 

Three of the creatures engulfed Goku, avoiding being shot to pieces by forming holes in themselves for the energy to pass through. The other four went after Trunks, Bra, and Goten, following the same method of blast dodging. Relena ran over to Bulma, helping her up.

"They're not coming for us," Bulma said.

"That's probably because we pose less of a threat-"

Relena was cut off by a cry from Bulma as another monster emerged from the soil, looming up behind them. It grabbed Bulma around the waist and sunk back into the ground, pulling her with it.

"No!" Relena shrieked, trying to pull the woman from the creature's grip. "Let her go!" She clawed at its dirt flesh, but it had no effect.

"Bulma!" Goku saw what was happening and shot a beam of energy, bringing it across the torsos of his three assailants. He ran over to Relena, who was trying to pull Bulma out of the dirt by the woman's hands, the only part of her body sticking out of the earth. Relena's hands slid out of Bulma's and she fell backwards. Goku slid over on his knees and swiped at his friend's vanishing fingertips. He missed, and could no longer see her hand.

Bulma was gone.

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A reader: WHAT DID YOU DO TO BULMA???????????

^_^; Hey, you guys didn't think saving Veggie was gonna be easy, did you?


	12. Into the Crevasse

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z or the characters, except for Relena and Seether.

Notes: Believe me, your day is not complete until you have stepped in roadkill on your way to school -_-; (And for some reason decided to post that fact on the internet. O.o)

Hmmm... If green is my favorite color, then how come my favorite character isn't Piccolo??

****

Chapter Twelve: Into the Crevasse

__

"You come here, lie to everybody about who you are, put us all in danger, and now Bulma is dead!" - Goten

April 6, Friday à Five days until the eclipse

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"Well, Vegeta-chan," I say, kneeling before him. "I think I've made you wait long enough.

He's lifeless, but I can see that he is frightened of what I'm about to say. 

"You know what I'm going to tell you," I say, smiling.

He hates me.

"I guess I'll just tell you anyway."

He doesn't want to hear it. He doesn't want to know.

His sadness is so invigorating. I let go of his will so he can express it more.

"Bulma is dead." My voice is impassive, cold.

He is still frozen, his beloved's death not yet hitting him. Then he starts to shake, trembling violently. He keels over, palms on the ground, fingers grinding into the dirt.

"No..." he whispers.

"Yes, she's gone. Gone forever."

He glares up at me, hatred in his eyes. "You... You did this." 

He takes a hasty swing at me, but I simply bend backwards and avoid the blow. He no longer fears me, I can see, but no matter. 

He tries again, this time with more control, but I catch his fist in my hand.

I stare in his eyes, slowly putting him in a daze. "No. I didn't."

The hatred disappears as he gradually falls under my spell. "Hai, you-"

"No."

His hand drops limply to his side, his expression only mere confusion. "But..."

"The one responsible for her death is Kakarot."

"Kakarot...?"

"He let her come down here. He didn't try to stop her. He couldn't even get to her in time to save her. If he hadn't let her come down here, I wouldn't have had to send my minions after her."

"But..." He's trying to deny it, but he can no longer think clearly.

"Listen to me, Vegeta-chan," I purr, leaning against his hard body and caressing his face, my cold fingers stroking his cheek. "She is gone. Your love is gone. All because of Kakarot and his stupidity. And now the only one left on this miserable planet that still loves you is me."

He shakes his head, a little dazed, eyes half-closed, but his gaze still locked onto mine. "Trunks and Bra..."

"Forget about them," I order. "You do not have any children. Understand?"

"...Hai..."

"No one loves you except me. Understand?"

"Hai."

I lean my face closer to his, pressing my black lips to his, engaging him in a long kiss that instantly makes him submit to me, the tension leaving his body as I take over. He is too weak from his mate's death to resist me, and without her in his life he is desperate for any warmth, even from my icy lips. I stand up and place one hand on his forehead again. "Now close your eyes and relax. We're going to try this again."

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Relena trudged along the dirt tunnel, trailed by her four miserable companions.

The previous day, all they had done was search for Bulma in the desperate hope that she was still alive. They walked through the underground network, calling her name, but no one answered. Relena tried to contact her on the walkie-talkie, but there was no response. They gave up, rolled out their sleeping bags, and went to sleep, all agreeing on concentrating on finding Vegeta.

But no one could forget the look on her face when the creature pulled her down into the earth. It was horribly ironic; the planet she had helped save so many times contributed to her death. And Bra and Trunks... Relena couldn't understand how they were handling this so well. She knew they'd seen people die before, and they'd brought people back to life, but still... They were so strong, those two. 

They came to a branch in the tunnel. The path broke off into three other underground passages. Goku tried to find Vegeta's or Seether's ki to tell which direction to travel, but he couldn't sense anything, and neither could the others. They'd tried to do the same thing when they were searching for Bulma, but the technique had failed then too. Relena chalked it up to Seether's powers.

"Well then, which way do we go?" Goten asked.

"I don't know," Relena said.

"Well, I guess you don't know everything," Bra muttered.

Relena frowned. Everyone but Goku had been making comments like that since Bulma's disappearance. It was logical, Relena knew. They had just lost a okaasan and friend, and she was the perfect person to take out their aggressions on.

But she'd had enough. "Look," she snapped. "I'm here to help you. I'm not here for you all to bitch at just because you lost someone."

"We didn't lose just anyone," Trunks said through clenched teeth. "We lost our okaasan."

"Thanks to you," Bra grumbled. 

"Me?" Relena couldn't believe this. "I tried to help her-"

"You brought her down here!" Bra yelled.

"I didn't bring her down here! She came because she wanted to save your otousan! She came on her own! I even told her she didn't have to come!"

"Why should we believe you?" Goten asked. 

"Huh?" Now Goten was in on this too?

"You come here, lie to everybody about who you are, put us all in danger, and now Bulma is dead!"

"That's not true!"

"Sounds about right to me, Relena. Come on. We don't even know if that's your real name."

"That's enough!" Goku yelled.

They all turned to him in surprise, never having heard such a tone from the man.

"You three aren't being fair to Relena."

"But she lied to us!" Trunks pointed out.

"Everything Relena did was all in good intentions." Goku came and stood beside her. "The only reason she lied was to find Vegeta and help him. And she didn't put anyone in danger. You all agreed to come. So did I." He paused. "So did Bulma."

There was a long stretch of silence.

Trunks stepped forward, staring at the ground. "I- I'm sorry, Relena. I shouldn't have taken everything out on you. You were just there, and... I guess you were the easiest to pick on."

"I'm sorry, too," Goten said.

"It's alright," Relena said smiling. "I understand."

"I would like to apologize," Bra said. "But I can't."

They all stared at her.

"Why not?" Relena asked.

"I can't excuse what you did to me."

"I told you I was sorry I attacked you-"

"Not that."

"What?"

Tears sprang to her eyes. "You lied from the moment we met. You became my friend, but only to carry out your mission. You used me." She sniffed. "Did you ever really like me at all?"

"Oh, Bra," Relena said. "I do like you. You're a sweet girl. I never meant for you to feel that way. I was only trying to warn your 'tousan."

"I know; I like you too. And I understand why you had to lie. But after this is all over, I'll never see you again, and...you're actually one of the best friends I've ever had."

Relena smiled at Bra. "I'll miss you, too. All of you. You guys are the most interesting people I've ever encountered, and it'll be hard to let you go."

"But," Relena continued, "after this mission I am obligated to return to headquarters for my next assignment."

Bra nodded. "Sorry. I just got a little emotional. Sorry for yelling at you too."

"That's all right."

Goku nodded. "Good. Now that we have that settled, what do we do about these tunnels?"

"We split up into three groups," Relena said. "We'll see where each one leads and report to each other on our walkie-talkies if we find anything important."

"All right," Goku agreed. "I'll take the right passage by myself. Relena and Goten can take the middle, and Bra and Trunks can go left."

Everyone nodded and split into their teams, taking their designated tunnel.

Relena went ahead of Goten, shining her flashlight down the dirt corridor. Their tunnel widened a bit; they could now walk side by side without hunching over.

"This tunnel gets bigger," Relena spoke into her walkie-talkie.

"Mine too," Goku said through the speaker.

"So does ours," Trunks put in.

"How large? Ours is about seven feet by nine feet. This goes on for a while."

"Same here," Goku replied, "um... I guess."

"Us, too," Trunks responded.

"That seems a little odd," Goku continued, "that our tunnels are the same."

"Seether probably doesn't want us to figure out the right way," Relena explained.

"Does anybody hear that?" Trunks asked. 

Relena froze, Goten bumping into her.

"Sorry," Goten apologized.

"Shh!" Relena put a finger to her lips.

A low rumbling noise echoed through the left wall. After a moment Relena could feel a slight trembling of the dirt below her feet, the shaking getting more violent each second. Soon the ground was practically convulsing under her and Goten.

"What is that?" Goku's voice crackled through the speaker.

"WHOA!" Trunks yelled. "LOOK OUT!"

With an enormous snap, a crack in the soil exploded through the lower left wall, sending up a small cloud of dirt. The crack shot through the floor of the tunnel into the right wall. The two halves jerked apart, forming a sudden crevasse in the floor. The gap shot to about thirty feet.

There was no time for Relena to react to the chasm that formed beneath her feet in an instant. The flashlight flew from her fingers, plummeting into the abyss. She felt herself falling in the empty space, shooting to the depths of the earth.

She felt a sudden jerk on her wrist and looked up. Goten had grabbed her hand; she was safe. He was hovering in the air, floating to the wall of the cleft. Relena had forgotten that he could fly. He pulled them both back up onto solid ground. He pulled himself up, and then reached for her other hand. Relena swung her body and propelled her arm up far enough that she could grab his hand. He easily lifted her up to him, putting his hands on her waist to balance her when he got her to her feet.

Relena knew she was blushing, her cheeks inflamed by the feeling of his hands above her hips. "Um, thanks." She stepped away from him, straightening her shirt.

Goten turned a little red himself. "No problem. Do you think the others are all right?"

"I don't know. Seether seems to want us out of the way, though."

Relena and Goten turned their backs on the underground canyon, making their way to the end of the tunnel. At the end they met Bra and Trunks and Goku; the three tunnels had rejoined into one passage.

"Are you guys okay?" Goku asked. 

Goten nodded. "We're fine. How about you guys?"

"Trunks lost his flashlight," Bra said. 

"I dropped mine, too," Relena replied. "We'll have to manage with three."

"Do you think this Seether will have any other surprises for us?" Trunks asked.

Relena nodded. "Plenty."

__________________________________________________________________________________________

Pam: Isn't Seether just lovely? ^_^ Anywho, soon I'm gonna put up another comedy fic that I was inspired to write during my Shakespeare class! This means that I may or may not post another TSE chapter for a while.

Guess what? Kim's over again! And, as usual, she has something to say. Go ahead, Kimmie.

Kimmie: Bwahahahhahahaa! Yo yo yo yo YO! What it is motha f--woopsies! Now, now, I must remember..No bad words ^_^;; Psst! Guess what Pam's doing? XD She's making popcorn. Hahaha! ...Riiiiight..Anyhoo, I hope that everyone's enjoying Pammie's stories ^^! I missed Trunksie-poo playing with the squirrelies yesterday *Sniff* But oh well. Okies, welp, I love you all! Enjoy the story! And do the dance of joy, it'll make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside! I'm off now to think about how Bura and Claudia from Interview with the Vampire relate in some twisted way. Ja ne!

-Kimmie-chan

P.S. **ALWAYS REMEMBER THAT FRIEZA IS #1!!!!!!! DON'T FORGET, OR ELSE....I 'LL SEND YOU TO THE "NEXT DIMENSION" ::Runs off having a spasm, laughing her ass off like a mofo:: Bwahahahaha!**

Pam: O.o Um... riiiiiiiight. Well, anywho, ja ne till the next chapter or until I put up the comedy fic. Whichever comes first. Hey, Kim, what is a "mofo" anyway?

Kim: ^_^; Um... ::puts hand behind her head and laughs nervously:: I don't know. I heard it from my friend.

Pam: -_-; Well, if anyone out there knows, feel free to enlighten us. Why would you use words that you don't even know the meaning to anyway?

Kim: Well, at least I don't step on dead animals on my way to school...

Pam: Shut-up, Kim!

Kim: ::points and laughs at Pam::

Pam: -_-;

Kim: Hey, was it a squirrel? ^_^ I love squirrels! They're Trunksie-poo's *special* friends.

Pam: I didn't exactly care to look.

Kim: One time-

Pam: At band camp?

Kim: What? O.o Anyway, the other day my dad was driving me to school and there was a dead squirrel in the road and he was so evil 'cause he wanted to run over it again!

Pam: ....

Kim: I think he was joking, though.

Pam: ..... No comment.


	13. The Surge

Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z or its characters. (Damn...)

Notes: Well... the comedy piece isn't coming along too fast, so I decided to post the next chapter. Enjoy! ^_^

****

Chapter Thirteen: The Surge

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"Now, kiss me, Vegeta-chan." - Seether

April 7, Saturday à Four days until the eclipse

-Vegeta-

Gone.

Dead.

Taken from me.

All because of Kakarot.

Earlier I had doubts... I can't remember why, but Mistress Seether assures me it's the truth. Kakarot is the reason my mate is dead.

So empty now, my soul. The void that once held our love for each other is so vast. I feel barren.

But soon the void will be filled with Kakarot's blood. I will savor every moment of his death, whether it is swift or agonizingly slow. Mistress will decide the way his death will come.

He will pay.

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My original plan was to erase his memories and brainwash him so he would serve me without question. He would assist me in achieving my conquest, killing anyone that got in the way, and from then on he would be my king and lover.

But I have altered and improved my plan a bit. In light of this "love" he had for his deceased mate, I will not erase everything in his memory. I will leave in all the happiest memories he had with this woman, such as their first night together. Nothing with the children in it will be left however. Those brats are reminders of any love he has left in his life and could jeopardize my plot. Along with the choice remembrances will be every single painful event in his life, every moment of agony in his past. This way, my conduit will see this Bulma of being the only joy he ever had.

And with her being dead and my assurance that it is the fault of this Kakarot, also known as Goku, Vegeta will waste no time in disposing of those fools trying to stop me. He will be even more of a killing machine than he was when he was under Frieza's control.

I am almost finished altering his mind. Even now I can sense his dark, evil thoughts, his constant fantasies of obliterating Goku. I can also feel his loyalty towards me, his willingness to comply with any order I give. If his rescuers do make it down here before the eclipse, he would most certainly do away with them at my word.

I may just let them down here. Just for some entertainment as I watch them try to defeat my warrior, my slave. Not that I won't toy with them as they make their way, as with the deep canyon I forged across some of my tunnels.

There. I take my hand off his forehead. All the unnecessary memories are erased and he is brimming with dark energy.

"So," I say, kneeling down and tilting his chin up so he stares back at me with enchanted eyes, "who are you loyal to Vegeta-chan?"

"To you, Mistress," he replies.

"And who is the only one who cares for you?"

"You, Mistress."

"And what will you do to those approaching who are trying to ruin my plans?"

"Whatever you wish of me, Mistress."

I wrap my arms around his neck and kiss him deeply. I pull back and smile at him evilly, leaning against him. One more test.

"Put your arms around me, Vegeta-chan," I order, and my maniacal grin grows wider as he does so, holding me tightly around the waist.

"Now," I continue, tilting my head upward, "kiss me, Vegeta-chan."

He looks down at me with hazy eyes and takes my chin in his callused fingers, bringing his lips to mine. He kisses me softly, and I enjoy it. That woman certainly taught him well. Too bad she's no longer alive to feel the same pleasure.

I pull back and place a hand on his cheek. "Good boy."

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"You know, Relena," Goten said, leaning back against the dirt wall, "you haven't told us anything about yourself."

The rescue group was taking a break after hours and hours of hiking through tunnels. So they rested at the next fork they came too, the only other area of intersection since the one they had run into before the earthquake that had caused the crevasse. 

"Yeah," Trunks joined in. "I mean, we've told you a lot about us, so it's only fair that we know at least a little about you."

Relena thought for a moment. "I don't know... We're not supposed to talk about the society."

"Well," Goku put in, "you don't have to tell us about that."

"What do you want to know?"

"Do you have a boyfriend?" Bra asked playfully.

Relena blushed, and Bra couldn't help but notice that she glanced at Goten. "No. I really don't have time to date or anything. When you're in the society, your best chance of finding a boyfriend is to date someone else in the society."

"Is that the case with your parents?" Goten asked.

"Oh, yes. My 'kaasan and 'tousan met each other on a joint mission. Two agents barely work together, since our members are so few, but I guess it was fate that they met. They got married a year after, and had me a couple of years after that.

Trunks raised his eyebrows. "And they're okay with you going on dangerous missions such as this?"

"Of course not," Bra put in, "but you guys do it all the time even though 'Kaasan and Chi-Chi are never okay with it."

A long quiet fell over the room at the reminder of Bulma.

Relena broke the silence. "Well, my 'kaasan didn't want me to be a member of the society. She dropped out so I could lead a normal life. She raised me for a few years, but..." Relena took a deep breath. "She died. She was in a car accident when she came to pick me up from kindergarten."

"'Tousan didn't have any other choice but to raise me to be a member of the society. He couldn't just send me to a foster home or anything; it would've broken his heart. I was given an excellent education along with training in self defense and such, and I got my first case four years ago, when I was seventeen."

"You're twenty-one?!" Trunks exclaimed. "You look my sister's age!"

"I get that from my okaasan. It's in her genes, along with the aura thing. She was clairvoyant, though. For some reason we got different powers. She couldn't see auras, but she could see into the future." Relena paused. "I always suspected she knew she was going to die that day. I remember... when she dropped me off at kindergarten she gave me a huge hug and a kiss and told me that she loved me. I mean, she always did that, but she looked so sad that day..."

"About your aura sensing ability, Relena," Goku brought up. "I don't think you're the only one. When we power up for our fights an aura always shows up around us."

"Yes, but I don't need to wait for you to power up to see your aura," Relena pointed out, "and I can tell more than your power level from your aura."

"Really?"

"Uh-huh. For instance, Goku, from your aura I can tell that many years ago you were infected with heart disease. Am I right?"

Goku gaped at her. "That's right."

Relena frowned. "How come you don't have it now?"

"Uh, it's a long story. We don't have time for it now."

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I sense their discussion and I chuckle. "You won't have time for anything soon, Goku."

Vegeta growls at the name. I feel the sound vibrate through his body as I lean against him, my back to his stomach. His arms are still wrapped around my midriff and his muscles tense, tightening his hold on my midsection.

"Calm down, Vegeta-chan," I order. "The reason Kakarot and the others don't have time for anything is because they'll be running for their lives... or at least swimming."

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Relena stood up. "We should get going."

Everyone nodded in agreement and got up also, gathering their things.

Goku suddenly jerked his head. "Do you guys hear that?"

"Hear what, 'Tousan?" Goten asked.

Goku put a finger to his lips. "Listen."

The five stood still, trying to hear whatever Goku was talking about.

"It sounds like..." Trunks muttered.

"Water," Bra finished.

"Rushing water," Goten added.

The five all looked at each other, and then towards the sound. It was getting louder by the second, so much so that even Relena could hear it now.

"How far away is it?" Bra said.

"It's hard to tell because of the echo," Goku replied.

"We should get moving," Relena repeated. "Now."

"Which way do we go?" Goten asked shrilly.

"Don't panic!" Trunks shrieked at him. "It won't help if you panic!"

"I'm not panicking!"

Goku turned to Relena. "Which way do we go? Left or right?"

"Well, last time we slit up at the intersection, but-"

Trunks interrupted her, "But we should probably reconsider since there's a rush of water heading right for us!"

Relena whirled on him. "Stop panicking! I can't think straight!"

"I'm not panicking!"

Suddenly Relena, Trunks, Goten, and Goku became involved in a panic-induced argument, yelling and generally freaking out. Bra could only watch them in between her glances towards the sound of the surging fluid.

The roaring got louder, and Bra shone her flashlight towards the back of the tunnel, and the beam revealed a trickle of water heading towards them. The trickle expanded more and more each second, hinting about what was headed their way.

"Um, guys?" Bra spoke up. "Hello!" They continued to bicker, ignoring her. "YO!!!"

Everyone turned to her. "WHAT?"

"RUN!" Bra grabbed Relena's arm and burst into the right tunnel as a massive surge of water burst into the tunnel.

"Kuso!" Trunks yelled and sped off after them, closely followed by the two Son family members. 

They outran the rushing liquid for a few minutes before the ground turned to mud, causing them to lose traction. Trunks was the first to slip and lose his balance, falling back and knocking into Goten, causing the two friends to be overtaken by the water. Goku was next, collapsing flat on his face before the water smashed into him.

_We're done for._ That was Relena's last thought before she and Bra were knocked over by the icy liquid. The two girls struggled in the surge, trying not to lose each other, but they were tossed and turned and Relena's hand was disengaged from Bra's.

Relena could feel her body twist and flip as the rough current rammed her into walls and thrust her against the ceiling and the floor. Her lungs felt like they were being pierced by thousands of needles; she needed air NOW. But the tunnel was completely occupied with water and there was nowhere to get oxygen. Relena finally gave in and exhaled, then breathing in a gulp of salty fluid. She started to choke, desperate for the air that wasn't there.

Then everything was black.

________________________________________________________________________________

In the next chapter we find out if they survive. Sure, Saiyajins can hold their breath, but for how long? Especially when you're being rammed into walls. And what about Relena? How much can a human take? And what about Vegeta? Will he continue to be Seether's loyal dog? (or monkey? Lol) And how long can I keep up this cheesy announcer thing? (Well, FUNimation has done it for years, so there's no reason I can't...)

Now to continue my new comedy thing, to be finished... um... whenever... ^_^;


	14. Survivor

Disclaimer: I don't own DBZ or the characters, but I do own Sleepy Hollow on video! ^_^

Notes: A little surprise in here, and a little humor bit about Gohan's traumatizing experiences as a kid.

****

Chapter Fourteen: Survivor

__

"For a second there you reminded me of the Ginyu Force." - Goku

April 8, Sunday à 3 days until the eclipse

Relena felt air inflate her waterlogged lungs. As she returned to consciousness, she sat up and leaned to the side, hacking up the liquid in her lungs. Her chest heaved as she inhaled and exhaled, savoring the oxygen she swore she would never again take for granted.

"Whew," a voice said. "We thought we'd lost you."

Relena looked up to see who had spoken, but her eyes had to adjust to the dim light supplied by two flashlights lying on either side of the tunnel floor. After a moment she made out Trunks kneeling beside her after performing cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, or CPR. Goku and Goten stood behind the purple-haired half-Saiyan, and Bra was beyond them, wringing the water out of her hair.

"Luckily Trunks knows CPR," Goten put in, "or you might not have made it."

Trunks laughed. "Typical humans. You get submerged in water for ten minutes and you fall unconscious."

"Look who's talking Trunks," Bra spoke up. "You three big boys weren't exactly awake after practically getting drowned either. I woke up and you were all knocked out sprawled in the dirt." Bra turned to her brother and smirked. "Hey, Trunks, what was it I heard you saying about Marron in your sleep?"

Trunks's eyes widened. "Nani?"

"I think it was something like 'Oh, Marron-chan, you're so beautiful! I love you!' Bwahahaha!"

"Shut-up, Bra!"

"You holding out on me, buddy?" Goten spoke up, going along with Bra.

"No!" Trunks exclaimed. "Whatever she's implying isn't true!"

Bra continued to mock her brother. "'I love you, Marron-chan! Kiss me!'"

"Shimatta!" Trunks chased his sister around the tunnel. "Stop it!"

"Wow," Goku said. "Wait until Krillin hears about this."

Trunks froze and his face paled. "It's not true!"

Bra ran behind Goten. "You wanna know what else he said?" Bra said mischievously. "'Come on, Marron-chan. Give Daddy some sugar!' Bwahahaha!"

"NANI?"

Still lying on the floor, Relena burst into laughter. Despite the situation, these people were certainly cheerful... well, everyone but Trunks anyway.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Goten asked Trunks playfully.

"There's nothing to tell," Trunks muttered, folding his arms. "That's all I'm saying about it."

"About 'it'?" Bra hinted. "What is 'it,' Trunks? I thought you said there was nothing to tell."

Trunks ignored his little sister and held a hand out to Relena. She grasped it and he helped her up. Her clothes clung to her skin uncomfortably, the dampness making her shiver. Beads of water dripped from her hair, sleeves, and pant legs, soaking the ground beneath her.

"Damn, Seether," Relena muttered as she wrung out her hair as she'd seen Bra do.

"You're mad at Seether for getting you wet?" Goten said with a smile.

"That is kind of stupid, considering everything else." Relena looked around at her companions and the tunnel floor. "Um... Where are the bags?"

"I have mine," Goku replied, "but everyone else lost their pack in that water blast."

Relena sighed. "Great. That means no food, no water, no walkie-talkies, or anything. Well, of course for the food and the walkie-talkie in Goku's pack."

"Um, my walkie-talkie got lost in the blast," Goku mentioned.

"But if I know my 'tousan," Goten added, "there's plenty of food in his pack for all of us to ration for a few days."

"Ration?" Goku said. 

"It means we're gonna have to split the food between us in small portions," Trunks said.

Goku looked disappointed at the phrase "small portions," but he managed a small smile anyway. "Okay."

Relena eyed the two flashlights. "Who lost their light?"

"Me," Goku said sheepishly. 

Relena sighed, adding this to the growing list of their disadvantages. "We can't lose the other two. It's hard enough to see down here as it is."

Trunks nodded. "We should get going now."

"Yeah," Bra agreed, "but which way?"

The five travelers glance left, and then looked to the right. Then they realized they had no idea of which direction to travel.

"Well, this is just dandy," Goten grumbled.

"We're heading east, right?" Bra spoke up. "I mean, that scroll said that Seether is supposed to strike in Satan City, and Satan City is east of home."

"Well, that's all well and good," Trunks said, "but we don't have a compass."

"Yes, we do!" Relena said, digging into her soggy pockets. "Please still be there..." she muttered, hoping it hadn't been lost in the water. A triumphant grin spread across her face as she pulled out a round object.

"Praise the Lord!" Goten cried out, falling to his knees and raising his hands into toward the dirt ceiling. "We have been saved!"

Everyone stared at him and sweatdropped.

Goten noticed all the bewildered expressions and lowered his hands. "What?"

"Um, nothing." Relena turned her face downwards and looked at the compass. "There's east," she said, pointing to her left.

Goten got up and brushed the soil off his knees. "Let's get going then."

Goku grinned his classic smile and snickered at his youngest son.

"What?" Goten repeated.

"For a second there you reminded me of the Ginyu Force."

Trunks burst out laughing, holding his sides.

Goten didn't get the joke. "The Ginyu what?"

Trunks stopped laughing and looked at his friend. "Didn't your 'tousan ever tell you about that whole Namek thing?"

"Only that Frieza fight."

"What about Gohan?"

"I asked him and he had this post traumatic stress attack or something. Then 'Kaasan got all mad and told me to never to ask Gohan about it again."

"Remind me to tell you about the Ginyu Force later," Goku said.

"Yes," Relena agreed. "Let's get going."

They all set out to the left, Goku bearing the burden of the backpack, although it was easy for him to carry. 

"Hey, Trunks..." Relena said after a moment.

"What?"

"Tell me about this Marron girl."

"AARGH!"

She lay on the ground for a few moments after returning to consciousness, coughing up salt water. She concluded that Seether must have opened up a tunnel that brought water from the ocean to this chain of underground paths, trying to drown all that were traveling inside.

The huge water surge had caught her by surprise; by the time the sound of roaring water reached her ears and she realized what it was it was too late to even try to run. She was caught in the blast, tossed and turned in the flowing liquid until she fell unconscious. She guessed that the water must have petered out eventually, leaving her behind to lie in the mud.

She pushed herself up out of the dirt, immediately pissed that now she would have to wander around soaked and caked in mud. It was bad enough that damn mud monster pulled her into the ground, and left her buried somewhere deep within the dirt amidst the tunnels, probably to struggle until she suffocated to death. She almost would have if the brainless dirt creature hadn't left her so close to a tunnel. After frantically scratching and clawing at the dirt around her, part of a wall in a nearby tunnel collapsed and she spilled out into the hollowed area.

Bulma was damned lucky. She herself knew that. This was further proved by the fact that she'd managed to hold onto her pack and flashlight while she was thrown about in that water rush. If she'd lost the flashlight, it would've been extremely difficult getting around. If she'd lost her bag, she would've had no food or water to survive on.

She stood up and wrung out her hair and clothes the best she could. Then Bulma picked up her bag and flashlight, and continued her journey through the tunnels. If her luck continued, she might meet up with the others again. Then again, she might make it back home, in which case she would get more help. She might even find Seether, and although that might not be lucky, she would be ecstatic to see Vegeta again. 

If her luck deserted her, she would just die in this underground hellhole, from either lack of food and water or whatever other tricks Seether had up her sleeve.

Bulma wondered if Trunks, Bra, Goku, Goten, and Relena had survived the water attack. She was optimistic that the first four had made it, but Relena was human. Of course, Bulma herself was human too, so Relena probably had a good chance.

Bulma stopped when she realized she could be going in the wrong direction. She knew that to get to wherever Seether had Vegeta she needed to go east towards Satan City. If she didn't, she'd just wander around these tunnels forever.

She knelt down and removed her walkie-talkie from the backpack. The transmitter had been clogged with dirt and short-circuited; she couldn't transmit her signal to the others or talk to them through the speaker, but the signal receiver worked fine. Bulma had tried to repair the transmitter, but she had limited supplies and, go figure, the one part she needed hadn't been in her backpack.

But she made do with the receiver, pointing it to one end of the tunnel and then to the other. The signal was weaker to her right, but it got louder when the transceiver was pointed to the left, the direction she'd been traveling in anyway. 

"Left it is," were the first words out of her mouth after awakening. She put the walkie-talkie back and zipped up the pack, putting it back on her shoulders. She shone her flashlight in that direction and continued to tread through the mud, her mind occupied with her determined thoughts.

_Hang in there, Vegeta. Wherever you are you better believe I'll find you. Almost being suffocated didn't stop me. Almost being drowned didn't stop me. Nothing has stopped me._

So there's no way I'm gonna let that evil bitch stop me either.

___________________________________________________________________________________________

SHE'S ALIVE! YEA! ^_^ Oh, and please excuse the little humor bit about poor Gohan... You would think he would be traumatized for life, though, wouldn't you?? O.o Any who, Kim would like to tell you about my cat... -_-;

Oh, my goddess, let me tell you...this cat is EVIL. It does NOT like ANYONE! I swear it's Vegeta reincarnated. Ok, the thing let me pet it ONCE and it was only because it wanted food. How evil is that. :\ Damn the Veggie-cat!!! Bwhahahahahhhaa! AHHHH and the color of the cat is black! And it's collar is PINK!! Ahhhh! Remind you of a certain "Badman" shirt? O_O It IS Vegeta! I know it is! ::Eye-twitch:: ::spasm::

Anyhoo, on a more happy note we're listening to the DBGT soundtrack!! Yatta! *GOING TO KILL PAM'S ANNOYING SISTER ~.~* Back to being happy! ^_^ I love these songs!! ::Does the dance of joy:: Kays and that's all I have to say for today!

Ja ne, minna! Mwah! *Psst! Think FRIEZA :)*

e.e Until next time, minna-san.


	15. The Heat Is On

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or the characters. If I did, I would take the money, put it in a swimming pool, and swim around in it, savoring my luxury.

Notes: Some people seemed to be disappointed that there were no Vegeta/Seether scenes in the last chapter. I don't know why. Maybe it's because of the *cough* SEXUAL *cough* atmosphere that's in their scenes. Well, there's a short one in this chapter, so indulge in it if you'd like.

****

Chapter Fifteen: The Heat is On

__

"Today we'll have a little barbecue..." - Seether

April 9, Monday à 2 days until the eclipse

-Goten-

Well, I can't say that it hasn't been an interesting four days. We were attacked by mud creatures, were almost dropped into a bottomless pit, and were almost drowned. I'm kinda surprised we're all still alive, especially Relena. I guess that society of hers does some pretty thorough training with their agents.

What do I mean we're "all" still alive? Not all of us are... Poor Bulma... I think 'Tousan is taking it the hardest, even more than Trunks and Bra, although he tries to be optimistic and not show it. He tried to reach her, but those mud creatures prevented him from getting to her in time. We can wish her back though, if we ever get out of here alive ourselves...

At first I was thinking that if we don't survive either, Krillin or Gohan or someone could always wish us back. Then I realized that that would be true if it weren't for two minor details:

One, no one knows we're down here. Relena wanted us to be discreet so knowledge of the International Prevention Society wouldn't spread. So Trunks told his secretary that he was going on a trip with his family, which also covers Bra and Bulma, and Vegeta too, since no one else knows about what happened. 'Tousan and I told 'Kaasan we were going on some training excursion for about a week. She wasn't too happy, and even said she wouldn't let us go, but we sneaked out.

Two, if we fail, Seether will take over. She'll use Vegeta to spread her dark energy to take over everyone's free will. Everyone will be under her spell, and no one will even think of collecting all the dragonballs and wish us back, since they'll all be loyal to her.

I think back to the conversation that Marron, Trunks, and I had a couple weeks ago when we passed the park with all the ranting bums. Marron had called them "nutcases" and I had agreed with her. Not anymore, though. It's hard to believe that those raving men in rags had accurately predicted the possible end of the world.

_"I think the earth has been in jeopardy as much as I can stand."_ I still agree with Trunks's statement though. It kind of pisses me off; every time there's some raving psycho that want to either take over earth or destroy it, we have to deal with it. It's not even all of us sometimes. 'Tousan has had to defeat the enemy many times by himself. I mean, jeez, can't we get a break?

"Come on, Trunks," Relena presses.

"I'm not discussing it any further," Trunks replies.

"I just wanna know what she looks like."

I smile to myself. Relena had found a new way of passing the time as we trudged through the tunnels: bothering Trunks about Marron. 

"Yeah, Trunks," Bra says teasingly. "Tell Relena about your hunny-bunny."

"MARRON IS NOT MY HUNNY-BUNNY!"

Hmm... Marron and Trunks... They kinda would make a nice couple. Bra may be onto something there.

And speaking of couples... I glance at Relena. I would be lying if I said I thought she wasn't cute even when I did believe she was a freshman. And now it turns out that she's seven years older than we previously believed...

Okay, okay. I know that Relena is a member of a secret organization and will probably leave as soon as this thing is over, but, well, I've always been a little girl-crazy. And plenty of people have complicated long distance relationships, although this one could be more complicated than others...

I mentally give myself a good whack in the head. There is no "this one," moron. Well, not yet anyway. I haven't even asked her out yet or anything, although it wouldn't hurt to try.

Bra, who was walking beside Relena, has slowed her pace so she can be next to Trunks to tease him some more. 'Tousan is behind them, so Relena is in the front of the group alone.

I pick up the pace and am soon walking with her. Usually, I have some sort of opening line when I'm going to ask out a girl I like, but what the hell do you say to a girl who is hiking through tunnels with you to save your best friend's 'tousan?

"Hey, Goten," Relena says, breaking the silence herself. She glances back to Trunks and smiles evilly. "Why don't you tell me about Trunks's and Marron's little affair?" she says loudly.

"BECAUSE THERE ISN'T ONE!" Trunks yells.

"I couldn't tell you, Relena," I reply. "They've even kept it a secret from me."

Trunks goes off in a string of obscenities I would only repeat to my mother if I planned to kill myself right afterward so she wouldn't be able to beat the shit out of me. 

"I've only heard Vegeta use that last one," 'Tousan comments.

"Like father, like son, eh Trunksy-boy?" Bra says. She smirks. "You better get rid of that potty mouth or Marron won't like you anymore."

"SHIMATTA!" Trunks looks like he's ready to blast his sister.

"Maybe we should lay off for a while," I say to Relena.

"A little while," she corrects me.

We walk in silence for a few moments, listening to Bra taunt her brother.

"So, Relena..." I say finally.

"Yes, Goten?"

"What do you plan to do after we pull this off?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was thinking that maybe you and me could do something sometime."

Relena raises her eyebrows. "You're not asking me out, are you Goten?"

"Well...er..." I had expected a lot of reactions, but that wasn't one of them.

She speaks more quietly, so the others won't hear and I won't be embarrassed. "Listen, Goten, think about this. Do you really think we could have a relationship?"

"Well..."

"Did you think about it at all?"

"I thought about some things."

"Like...?"

"Uh..."

"Like how nice and pretty I was?"

"Uh..."

"I'm sorry, Goten, but-"

I look away. "But I've totally disgusted you with my behavior in this situation, right?"

"Actually, I'm kind of flattered."

I look up in surprise. "Really?"

"Well, yes, and to be honest, I like you too, Goten."

"But you won't go out with me."

"No."

"And Goten was shot down," I narrated.

"Oh, you know with my job and all it wasn't going to happen."

"I guess..."

"But I'm sure that there will be plenty of girls for you to date after this, and you'll break all their hearts."

"Is that a compliment?"

She giggles. "Sort of."

"I'm still kind of bummed, though."

"Well, if you like me that much..." She checks behind us to see if anyone is watching, and then gives me a quick peck on the cheek.

I wasn't expecting that either, that's for sure, but my look of surprise eventually transforms into a wide grin.

"And that's all you're gonna get," she warns.

"Okay!"

"NO, BRA," Trunks yells, "MARRON AND I AREN'T HAVING OUR HONEYMOON IN THE BAHAMAS!"

"So you do have a relationship!" Bra snickers.

"SHIMATTA!"

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"Oh, Vegeta-chan," I say, sitting on a throne I conjured up from the stone floor, "I have another idea on how to play with those fools in the tunnels. Do you want to hear it?"

"Yes, Mistress," my conduit replies kneeling before me, his head bowed.

"Oh, Vegeta-chan," I cackle, reaching out with my hand to play with his hair, "you always know just the right thing to say." 

"Well," I continue, "we've already used earth against them with that crevasse, and we've used water with the flood." My hand moves down his face to his chin, and I tilt his head upwards so he looks at me. "So today we'll use another element: fire." I release his chin, but his head stays in the same position.

I close my eyes, concentrating my energy on an area about a hundred miles away. It might take an hour or so with my power to speed it up, but the next attack should reach them soon.

I reopen my eyes, and I see that Vegeta still stares back at me. I grin.

"Today we'll have a little barbecue..."

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Relena wiped the sweat off her forehead with the sleeve of her shirt. Sure it had always been a little stuffy in the underground, but it seemed to get unusually hotter every minute. She rolled up her sleeves, noticing how the hairs on her arms were stuck to her skin with sweat.

"Is it just me," Trunks said, "or is it way hotter than it should be down here?"

Goku pulled off his shirt. "It used to be pretty cool down here. What's going on?"

Bra fixed her hair into a ponytail with an elastic band she'd found in her pocket. "I'll bet you anything that it's Seether."

"Then whatever it is can't be good," Goten contributed.

"Is she trying to give us heat strokes?" Trunks said.

"Who knows?" Relena replied. She wiped some sweat off her neck. "Man, how can she make it so sweltering?"

"Well, what's hot?" Goten asked.

"Fire is hot," Goku said.

"Yeah," Bra spoke, "but how can she get a fire going in a dirt tunnel?"

"Oh... well, what else is hot?"

"Trunks thinks Marron is hot," Bra said, smirking.

"This isn't the time for that," Trunks warned through clenched teeth.

"So you do think she's hot?" 

"I didn't say that!"

"But you didn't deny it either."

Bra began teasing Trunks again, while Trunks denied all her accusations. Relena and Goten stood off to the side watching and laughing.

Goku, on the other hand, was actually thinking about what Seether could be using to make it so hot. He wiped his hand across his forehead, trying to ignore the continuous perspiration.

_Man, it's as hot as a volcano down here..._

Goku froze, realizing that he'd found the answer.

_Uh, oh..._ "Um, guys?"

"What, Goku?" Relena asked in between giggles.

"Lava is hot."

There was a sudden silence as everyone digested the information.

"Lava?" Bra squeaked.

"Lava as in lava from a volcano?" Goten said.

"Lava as in burning hot molten liquid that comes from the earth's core?" Trunks elaborated.

"Yes, lava!" Relena said shrilly.

"That's not good," Goten responded.

"Of course it's not good! Oh, my Lord, we're going to be fried!"

"Well, we don't really know how close the lava is," Goku put in.

"Oh, yes, we do!" Bra yelled, pointing to the back end of the tunnel.

A stream of lava that reached about a third of the way up the walls was flowing towards them at an extremely fast pace. The scalding yellow and red liquid bubbled and sizzled as it gushed towards them, as if it were proving how fast it could dissolve their corpses.

Relena, Goten, Bra, Trunks, and Goku wasted no time in running farther into the tunnel, frantically trying to escape the lava.

"We can't run forever!" Relena pointed out, panting.

"Well, what are we supposed to do?" Bra asked.

"I have an idea!" Trunks yelled. "But we have to get further ahead of the magma!"

"What's magma?" Goku asked. "I thought it was lava!"

"Oh, just come on!" 

Goten picked up Relena, since she couldn't run as fast as them, and the five travelers raced faster to gain a good distance away from the lava. After a few minutes, they stopped. Trunks began blasting at the wall.

"Oh, I get it!" Bra began blasting at the ground, trying to form a deep trench.

"Well, I don't!" Goten said.

"We have to form a trench that goes into another tunnel," Trunks explained. "Then the lava will flow into the other tunnel."

"How do you know that there's a tunnel behind that wall?"

"Then blast at the other wall!"

"Hold on a second," Goku said, "I can do this myself." He stood in the ditch that Bra had formed so far and gestured for the four to move back. He held his arms out to his sides so that they were horizontal to the ground, and then launched out massive energy beams from his palms that burst through the dirt wall with little effort. The attack made ceiling to floor holes through the walls, revealing more tunnels on both sides as the energy passed through.

Then he stepped out of the ditch and blasted at the floor, quickly deepening and widening the trench while he expanded it so the lava would be directed into the other tunnels. When Goku finished, the oncoming magma could be seen at the back of the underground path.

He faced Relena, Bra, Trunks, and Goten. "Not bad, eh?"

"There's only one problem, 'Tousan," Goten hinted.

"What?"

"You're on the wrong side of the ditch!"

"Yikes!" Goku leapt to the other side of the trench just before the lava reached his boots and landed on his rear.

The scalding fluid poured into the trench, and flowed into the neighboring paths as the group had planned. 

"Whew," Goku said, standing up.

"Tell me about it," Trunks agreed.

"You know," Relena said, glancing at Trunks, "it occurs to me that there might have been lava in the other tunnels too, and if there was we would have been melted alive."

"Hey," Trunks defended himself, "it was the best thing I could think of, and we would have been broiled anyway."

"I agree," Bra spoke up.

Trunks smirked triumphantly at Relena.

"You wanna know what else I think?" Bra asked.

"What?" Trunks turned to his sister.

"Marron would've been real impressed with that quick thinking."

"AARGH!!!"

___________________________________________________________________________________________

What's in store for the gang now? You'll just have to wait and see! Until next time, minna-san! ^_^


	16. Time Is Running Out

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or its characters. 

Notes: Um... Well, I actually have nothing interesting to say... so I'll just fill this part up with rhyming words: Vegeta, chaquita, margarita, fajita... Oh, just read the fic.

****

Chapter 16: Time is Running Out

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"Do you love me, Vegeta?" - Seether

April 10, Tuesday à 1 day until the eclipse

Relena, Bra, Trunks, Goten, and Goku trudged through the underground tunnels in silence. The usual chatter and teasing of Trunks were gone, banished by the sense of urgency and danger. They had begun their trek five days before, and now they had only one day left to find Vegeta before the eclipse and stop Seether.

"Relena?" Bra spoke up.

"Hai?" Relena responded, her voice slightly above a whisper.

"Do..." Bra sounded like she was fighting tears. "Do you think we'll make it on time?"

Relena was silent for a moment. "Hai." And it was true. Relena was fairly sure that she and the other four would reach Vegeta before the eclipse. She just didn't know how much time they would have left to stop the apocalypse or if they would be able to stop it at all. It was possible, however, that they could foil Seether's plot and save Vegeta. Sure, plenty of things had gone wrong, but Relena didn't know how it could get any worse.

Then the flashlights went dead. Both at the same time, without so much as a flicker of warning.

Each person had his or her own reaction to this new development.

"Eep!" That was Bra.

Goten half-sighed, half-groaned.

Relena and Trunks's responses were very similar, each spouting off his or her own unique string of curses. 

"I think I'm getting a little old for this," said Goku.

"Wait," Goten chirped brightly. "We brought batteries, right?"

"Hai," Relena snapped bitterly. "There were some in my pack, which is who the hell knows where, and Bulma had some, but that won't help either."

"Oh."

"Okay," Trunks said, calming down. "We're just going to have to form a human...er Saiyan... a people chain so we don't lose each other in the dark."

"Alright," Relena agreed. "I'll lead the line."

Everyone blindly reached for each other's hands in the blackness and eventually formed a line. Relena had Bra's hand, Bra had Trunks, then there was Goten, and after him was Goku. They walked sideways, the people chain, as Trunks had dubbed it, slowly creeping through the dark. Relena led the way, placing her free hand on the wall to keep her balance.

"'Tousan?" Goten spoke up.

"What?"

"Are you scared of the dark?"

"Why?"

"'Cause you're crushing all the bones in my hand!"

"Sorry." Goku loosened his grip.

"He's afraid of the dark too?" Trunks asked.

"Only a little bit!" Goku defended himself. "You have to admit that it is creepy."

"What do you mean he's afraid of the dark 'too?'" Relena asked Trunks.

"He's afraid of needles," Trunks replied.

"NEEDLE? WHERE?"

Bulma wondered how far she was from the others. She knew she wasn't traveling in the same tunnels as them; she'd looked but found no footprints in the soil when she illuminated the ground with her flashlight. 

Would she make it to Vegeta when they did? Or would she arrive before they got there? Or after they got there? Would she ever see Vegeta again?

Flashes of him bursting awake at night and clinging to her helplessly invaded her mind. He was so terrified of the dreams, of the woman in his nightmares. She recalled that once when he woke up crying out and they made love, at one point she had dug her nails into his back. He had recoiled frantically, holding her away from him at arm's length by her shoulders. He had stared at her for a moment, a glint of fear in his eyes which had disappeared as he seemed to realize there was no danger. Then he drew her back into their embrace and continued to rock with her. Bulma had made a note to not do that again.

His reaction to the act was her only clue to what Seether had been doing to him in the dreams. The remainder of Seether's torture was only known to him, and the entire episode must have included worse things than nails digging into his skin.

Bulma's eyes narrowed with worry. What was Seether doing to him now?

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"Mistress..."

I turn to the hesitant voice. How odd. Vegeta hasn't spoken on his own since the brainwashing. And after that pretty much all he ever said was "Hai, Mistress." Yet he looks up at me from his kneeling position on the stone ground, a question on his lips.

I raise an eyebrow with curiosity. "Hai, Vegeta-chan?"

"My... my memory... It's all jumbled up and there are gaps... I... I'm confused..."

"Oh, Vegeta-chan," I say, kneeling down and cupping his face in my hands. "I had to erase some of your memories. They were just so... painful. I didn't want you to be haunted by them any longer." With that, I stand back up to resume monitoring the rescuers.

"Mistress?"

Another question? "Hai?"

"Were those memories more painful than the ones I still have?"

"I'm afraid so."

"And she was all I had..."

"Hai." This could be beneficial. The more he dwells on her, the more angry and violent he will become.

"I still remember how beautiful she was," he continues, and it sounds as if he is talking to himself more than me. "I was addicted to her, drowning in her blue eyes... I acted like I didn't care about her sometimes, but I did. I melted in every hug, cherished every kiss. She was all I ever had. I will never love another..."

I am becoming agitated. He is supposed to be getting enraged, not blubbering on like some lovesick poet. And what is this about never loving another? He is supposed to think he is in love with me!

This will not do at all. And since when does he talk on his own anyway?

I strike him across the cheek with an open palm, fed up with his ramblings. "You ungrateful bastard! She is dead! Gone! You should be thinking about getting revenge on Kakarot! And what is this about never loving again? After she died, I took you into my arms and loved you myself, and you cannot give me your love in return?"

"G- gomen, Mistress. I- I did not mean to upset you," he stammers, a little shocked from the slap.

I bend over and tilt his chin so he looks back at me. "Do you love me, Vegeta?"

"O- of course, Mistress."

"Good. Now you are not to speak unless told to! Understand?"

"Hai, Mistress. I hope you are not angry with me."

I soften my murderous expression. "Oh, Vegeta-chan. It's okay. You are forgiven. I understand that it is hard for you to go on, but you must in order to kill Kakarot! Am I right?"

"Hai, Mistress."

I kneel down and bring his lips to mine. "Now, I want you to close your eyes and concentrate on defeating Kakarot. He is the reason she is dead, correct?"

"Hai, Mistress."

I stand up and watch as he follows my order, his eyelids sliding shut. I take in a glimpse of his attire: a pair of light blue denim jeans and hiking boots. The garments barely fit my idea of a black knight...

I believe there will be a little costume change before the final performance.

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Bulma shone her flashlight on the ground beneath her boots. For the last few moments she had noticed that the texture of the ground felt softer than before, and the bright light revealed that the dirt was now black.

Wait... it wasn't dirt at all. She knelt down and felt the dark surface, noticing it was slightly warm and how it broke off into chunks. It wasn't that soft, Bulma concluded as she held a clump of the ebony substance in her hand, but it became slightly indented when she pressed her thumb into it.

"It's lava..." Bulma realized, adding to smoldering scent of the air to her clues. Cooled off lava, but lava just the same. She looked to her left, and saw a large hole in the wall that passed through more tunnels, and she understood that the lava filled in a ditch that had been drilled across the floors of the underground paths.

Bulma stood up and entered the hole, which was really more of another tunnel, only this one cut through other parallel tunnels. Goku and the others must have made the ditch, since the trench seemed to be more of a defensive structure than an offensive one, so the group must have been in one of these underground paths. Bulma walked across each tunnel, shining her flashlight around each one, looking for any sign that intelligent life had passed through.

After searching five tunnels, her flashlight found a group of several footprints in the sixth one she examined. They were all on one side of the ditch, all grouped together at first, but then they straightened out into as the footprints clumped together to form more of a line. 

Bulma's heart leapt and a grin appeared on her dirt-smudged face. _They were here... They had been here!_ And it looked to her that they were all still alive, judging by the different sizes of the prints.

But how long ago had they stood on this spot? The lava, well, technically the magma, since they liquid had never reached the surface, must have taken quite a long time to dry this much. She estimated that these footprints were at least a day old, so they must be far ahead of her now. Which also meant that they would reach Seether before her.

Bulma's grin settled into a frown, and she knew that she had to catch up to them, or at least shorten the distance between her and the group. She was hungry, she was tired, and, heck, she was a little old, but she was going to have to run to reach them. Run a lot.

"Shimatta..." she muttered as she stretched out her weak and exhausted limbs. "The things I do for you, Vegeta," she continued with a chuckle.

She began her sprint through the tunnel.

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Will they make it to Veggie-chan in time?? Well, if I told you that I would give everything away, wouldn't I?

'Til next time, minna-san! ^_^


	17. Destination Reached

Disclaimer: I do not own DBZ or the characters, but I'll be damned if I let that stop me in my plot to take over the world!!! Mwahahahahahahahahahahahaha!

Notes: My computer is EVIL. It erased a good majority of my stories from my disk, but luckily I had posted them on the internet, so everything is fine ~_^ Although, it did erase a fairly long prologue of a story I hadn't posted ANYWHERE! AAARGH!!!

Anywho, this chapter touches upon the infamous "Bra is a goth" theory. I believe that that hypothesis is possible, so don't go flaming me for my belief. If you would like to read more on this, go to "http://bura.cjb.net" to read more on the subject. And if you were wondering what's been happening outside those damned tunnels, this chapter takes a little visit back above ground.

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Chapter Seventeen: Destination Reached

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"Do you really think we'll make it, though?" - Goten

April 11, Wednesday à 2 hours until the eclipse

Satan City was buzzing about the upcoming party in the park later at two o'clock, an hour and a half before the total solar eclipse occurred. The event was supposed to be a real blast, with carnival games and even rides. Many merchants planned to set up kiosks to sell their merchandise, and several local bands were being hired to play to liven the affair up. Advertising in the local paper and countless fliers stapled to every light post hyped up the event so much that it was nearly impossible to find one person who wasn't going other than those who had to work. Even then, many planned to call in sick or just skip their jobs to attend the fair.

You couldn't go anywhere without hearing talk about the eclipse, whether it be in just the local gossip ("Did you hear? Dan is going to propose to Sherri during the eclipse!") or within the ranting of the several groups of fanatics who had appeared in Satan City weeks ago ("Listen, all of you! The eclipse shall bring the apocalypse in its darkness! Not one man, woman, or child shall be spared! Repent your sins now, or God's wrath may find you in the afterlife!"). Strangers would even engage in conversations about it...

"You two going to that little eclipse shindig later?" The saleswoman, whose nametag identified her as "Cindy," queried as she scanned Eighteen's purchases.

"Might as well," Eighteen replied. 

"Yeah," Krillin, who was standing by his wife, wallet in hand, agreed. "Everyone else is going, so why not?"

"It's kind of exciting," Cindy said, ringing up the items. "You know, other kinds of eclipses occur every now and then, but a total solar eclipse is a real event, and we're right on ground zero."

The woman next in line snorted. "I do agree that it is a once in a lifetime thing, and I'm going to that celebration myself, but if you ask me it is being awfully hyped up by those religious freaks. It's just like that whole Y2K thing; everyone thought we were going to die, and then we were fine."

Cindy shook her head. "Oh, just ignore them. They're only out to ruin everyone's fun if you ask me." She turned back to Eighteen. "That'll be ninety-two dollars and fifty-nine cents."

Eighteen glanced expectantly at Krillin, who handed the cashier a credit card. She swiped it, had Krillin sign the receipt, and handed them their bags.

"You don't think there's anything to what those people say do you?" Krillin asked as he and Eighteen left the store.

"About what?"

"What do you mean 'about what?' About the world ending."

"Well, I'm sure that if anything happens, Goku will be sure to handle it."

"Speaking of Goku," Krillin said, turning his gaze to the food court, "there's Chi-Chi. Wanna say hi?"

"I don't know. She seems awfully concentrated on her meal."

Chi-Chi sat at a table alone, a few packages at her feet. A furious gaze was aimed at her dish of teriyaki chicken and rice, which she was attacking with her chopsticks.

Krillin shuddered, knowing what Goku's wife could be like when she was angry. "Maybe you're right." He began to move away from the eating area.

Chi-Chi saw him before he got too far, though. "Krillin! Get over here!"

"Um..." Krillin thought for a moment, then decided that if Chi-Chi was mad it was best to cooperate. "Hey, Chi-Chi," he greeted her as he approached, Eighteen following. "How's it going?"

"Do you know where Goku is training?" she demanded, standing up and grabbing him by the shirt, hoisting him up to her eye level. 

Krillin let out a frightened yelp, which attracted the attention of everyone in the food court. "I... I..."

"WELL?"

"I don't know what you're talking about!" he practically shrieked, squirming in her hold

Chi-Chi raised an eyebrow. "He didn't say anything to you about taking Goten on a training trip?"

"No..." Krillin glanced at all the fellow shoppers watching with wide eyes. "Can you put me down now?"

Chi-Chi released his shirt, dropping him to the floor where he landed on his feet. Chi-Chi sighed, a well-known worried expression overtaking her face.

"Does Gohan know anything about it?" Krillin asked.

Chi-Chi shook her head. "No. Goku didn't say anything to him either. Goku asked me if it was okay to go on a trip, and I forbid him to go. Then some hours later, he and Goten were gone! So I called Bulma to see if she could convince Vegeta to try and bring them back, but no one answered."

"We called Bulma yesterday," Eighteen put in. "We figured we all might as well go to the eclipse party together, but no one was there either."

"And Marron called Trunks at Capsule Corporations," Krillin added, "but his secretary said he was on a trip with his family."

"Bulma went on a trip when there's supposed to be a total solar eclipse right here?" Chi-Chi said. "That's a little odd. I don't think Bulma would miss that for anything."

"Maybe they're coming back today," Krillin suggested.

"Do you think Goku will come back too?"

"Goku probably doesn't even know what an eclipse is, much less that there's one happening today," Eighteen said, rolling her eyes.

"But he does know about it!" Chi-Chi argued. "And he knows about the party in the park too! He was so excited about it 'cause he always finds those things to be so much fun."

"Well, I'll go look for him and Goten if you want..." Krillin proposed.

"No," Chi-Chi replied. "The eclipse would probably be over by the time you found him anyway. I'll just have to hope that he comes back before three-thirty."

"Well, if there's food there, I doubt Goku would miss it for the world!"

Relena pushed a button on her watch so the little light would come on and reveal the time. One-thirty in the afternoon. She couldn't help the panic that was arising in her. Two hours wasn't much time when you were out to save the world.

The only thing that kept her from going ballistic was the feeling that they were close. Oddly enough, it was the growing cold and stillness in the air that assured her they would make it to Seether's lair; to Relena, frigidness symbolized their enemy, and wherever it was cold, Seether must be there too.

At least their eyes had somewhat adjusted to the darkness. The Saiyajins' more so than Relena's, though. But at least they could see enough to not have to latch onto each other anymore.

"What time is it?" Bra asked.

The question was met with silence. Relena didn't want to tell her. It would only unearth more anxiousness among the group. They needed to keep clearheaded and focused.

"Relena?" Bra spoke again, sounding irritated.

Relena ignored her, until she felt a strong hand grip her arm and whirl her around. She was immediately face to face with the half-Saiyan girl, even in the dark seeing that Bra's agitation had quickly turned to anger because of the pressure they were all under.

"What time is it?" Bra repeated through clenched teeth.

"One-thirty," Relena replied, her gaze not leaving Bra's.

Bra released the girl's arm, her eyes squeezing shut to stop a flow of tears. 

Goten came up behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "It'll be okay-"

"You don't know that!" Bra interrupted, whipping around to face him.

"Calm down, Bra!" Goten said, trying to settle her down with his words.

"How can you tell me to calm down?" Bra exclaimed, the tears spilling down her cheeks. "Papa is out there somewhere with that evil witch and we only have two hours left!" The rest of Bra's outburst was drowned out by her sobs as she flung herself into Goten's arms, weeping helplessly.

"Go ahead and cry, B-chan," Goten soothed her as he put his arms around her like a shield. 

"She shouldn't have come," Trunks said. "She could've stayed home, out of this unbearable abyss."

"I wanted to come," Bra whispered from Goten's arms. "I want to help Papa too. I'm not a little kid you know."

"None of us are," Goku said, "but now I think only I should've come with Relena. You all would've been safe."

"There's no way you and I could've gotten through this alone," Relena disagreed. "Just because Bra got a little upset doesn't mean that we won't need her help." She gave Trunks a side-glance. "Besides, I doubt the rest of you feel very relaxed and carefree right now."

"Do you really think we'll make it, though?" Goten said.

Relena nodded. "Can't you feel how cold it is? The temperature continues to drop the more and more we travel through this tunnel! It must mean we're close."

"I wish we could be sure..." Goku put in. After a moment he continued. "I still can't sense any ki, not even yours." He gestured to the group. "Do you think our powers will fail even more when we meet Seether?"

Bra pulled out of Goten's embrace, wiping the tears from her eyes and trying to compose herself. "Well, we're not going to find out by just standing here," she said hoarsely. "So let's go."

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I sigh boredly, propping my elbow up on the arm of my stone throne and resting my chin in my palm. Those bakas are certainly taking their time getting here.

_"So let's go,"_ I feel the young blue-haired girl say.

"Yes," I say to myself. "Time is almost up..." I glance at Vegeta, who is in his usual kneeling stance at my feet. It would be a shame if I never got to see him in action... Once the takeover is complete, there is barely a miniscule chance of revolt from the subjects.

"They're close," I say in a disappointed tone, "but they may not make it before the eclipse, and I really do not feel like pushing the deadline back... What do you say we give them a little push?"

"Whatever you like, Mistress," Vegeta responds, head still bowed.

I look him over, satisfied with his new wardrobe. It is armor, yes, but not his usual Saiyajin armor. This armor is the same that was used back in the medieval days, minus the helmet: smooth ebony metal that shields his entire body from the neck down. A coal black cape is fastened to the shoulders of the protective covering, flowing over his back and onto the stone floor. A sword lies in the sheath that is strapped to the armor's waist, the weapon he shall use to bring Kakarot's downfall. The blade is crawling with my own boundless dark energy, and it shall be a formidable weapon in their upcoming battle, despite Kakarot's own colossal power.

"I'll let them go on for a little longer," I continue. "If they are not here in an hour, then I'll have to speed up their pace."

"Hai, Mistress."

"Then you shall crush Kakarot."

"Hai, Mistress."

I place my index and middle fingers under his chin, tilting his head so our eyes meet. "You shall be at your finest for me, correct, Vegeta-chan?"

"Hai, Mistress. I shall do my best."

My smirk vanishes as I see the dark circles under his eyes. It occurs to me that even though his time here with me was spent resting, he hasn't had much actual sleep. It shouldn't affect his fighting; all the energy I have given him should sustain him.

He notices my frown. "Have I displeased you in someway, Mistress?"

"No, Vegeta-chan." I raise an eyebrow. "Didn't I say something about not talking unless you're told to?"

"Gomen, Mistress."

"You are forgiven." I remove my hand from his face. "Sit down and rest your head on my lap. You will sleep until they arrive." A little sleep could benefit him; it certainly couldn't hurt.

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Relena checked her watch again: 2:30. She sighed. The only real progress they'd made in the last hour was trekking into colder climates within the tunnel. Relena was fairly sure that the walls were coated with frost from how cold the dirt felt when she leaned against it. 

"Relena?" Bra spoke up.

"It's two-thirty," the American girl said.

"We're not going to make it." Bra stated. "We're close, but not close enough. We'll never make it in an hour. We'll never save-"

"Cut it out, Bra!" Trunks ordered her. "We _will_ make it, shimatta! And I don't want to hear anything different from you or anyone else here!"

"Cut the kuso, Trunks! A positive attitude doesn't always save the freaking day! Every once and a while, the good guys _do_ lose to the bad guys! It's not impossible. And from my point of view, it looks like it's one of those days. We're going to die down here!"

Relena heard a small shuffle as the siblings stopped and faced each other. She turned around, as did Goku and Goten.

"Come on, guys-" Goku began.

But Trunks ignored him, glaring daggers at his sister. "You know, Bra, I thought you had grown out of that depressing gothic crap."

"This has nothing to do with me being a goth, shimatta! Use the logic in your genius brain, Trunks! An hour is not enough time!"

"Bra, all this talk about dying isn't going to help us-"

"Neither is the positive attitude!"

"Just shut-up and keep walking!"

"There's no point!"

"Either get going, or I'll _make you_ get going!"

"I'd like to see you try!"

But Trunks didn't have a chance to take up his sister's challenge, because after her last sentence came Seether's last attack. There was no warning as with the sound of the water or the heat from the lava. The offensive move began immediately and out of nowhere. Seether had used three of the four main elements in her previous assaults: earth, water, and fire. Now it was air's chance to take part in the onslaught. 

After Bra's last words, a gust of wind, stronger than that of a thousand hurricanes, infiltrated the tunnels. When it reached the burrow the travelers were in, the immense power of the gust lifted them to the midsection of the tunnel and sent them flying through it ten times faster than anything or anyone had flown before, the rushing air drowning out their screams and cries. 

Not that the ride was smooth. Like in the water rush, the five were rammed into the walls, ceiling, and the ground mercilessly. It was not long before Relena lost consciousness, and a few minutes after so did Bra, Goten, and Trunks. Goku held onto his consciousness longer, trying to stop himself from being taken along on this ride, but eventually he gave out also, his mind slipping into the bliss of the unconsciousness that blocked out the pain that racked his body as he collided with the cold dirt...

Bulma had been running nonstop after the sleep she had had earlier. She wasn't sure how long she had napped, but she was positive that any sleep was too much. She was on a deadline, and there was no time for dozing, even though she had been so tired that she could've been declared clinically dead.

The light from the flashlight bounced up and down as she ran with it in her fist, pointing it so she could see any turns up ahead. She didn't spot any curves, but Bulma noticed that the walls were now covered with a thin frost, and she could now see vapor in front of her face from any breath she took. It was cold, but her jogging helped warm up her body. 

Bulma shuddered from a sudden cold breeze that swept up behind her, but screamed when it lifted her into the air and pushed her through the tunnel at what seemed to be a million times faster than she had been running. Her crazed yelling was cut off when she began to crash into the surrounding dirt as the wind shoved her through the underground path, the cries replaced by pained grunts, until one of the impacts knocked her out completely.

Fade in...

Fade out...

Fade in...

Fade out...

Fade in...

Relena finally managed to get a type grip on consciousness, forcing herself to open her eyes. She groaned from the sharp, repetitive pang that hammered in her skull and radiated through her body. She made more grunts as she managed to sit up, pushing her hands against the ground, which was now frigid stone. Relena surveyed the various bruises and gashes on her body in the dim light.

"I'm going to ache all over tomorrow..." she muttered, then jolted with a start. Faint light? Where...? 

Relena looked to her right and saw her four companions were also awake. Bra sat beside her, and Goten lay next to her, propped up on his elbows and rubbing his head. Trunks was on his knees breathing hard, and Goku was to the right of him, slowly standing up. The four of them were all glaring warily at something in the front of the freezing, dim room.

Relena looked in the same direction and caught her breath. The light was coming from the body of the woman who sat in some sort of throne in the center of the room, the glowing emitted mainly from her face. The light wasn't enough to reveal the entire being, but Relena could see most of the area around the woman's head and chest. Her midnight hair was long and smooth, hanging down her back and into the dark areas where her lower body was concealed. Her gray, catlike eyes, which gazed downward, seemingly at something in her lap, chilled Relena to the bone, their icy glint, like that of a sharp blade, causing her to shudder involuntarily, and the woman's ebony lips were twisted into a small, devious smirk. Her black dress (if it was a dress, as stated before Relena could only guess so from the light she was given) was very low-cut, and the shoulders sloped gracefully down her arms.

By the time Relena had made her assessment of the pale creature, Goku and the others were standing, prepared for battle in fighting stances. Relena got up and stood beside Bra, prepared to do what she could, but at the moment realizing she was trembling all over.

Seether looked up at the five, her smirk spreading wider and her eyebrow lifting upwards, expressing her amusement to their defiance. She let out a short snicker, resting her gaze on each person, one by one. She finally set her sight on Relena, increasing the frightened girl's shaking.

Relena's thoughts were even more panicked from the iciness in Seether's gaze. _Oh, my God I can feel it I can feel the evil it's so thick I think I'm going to choke on it God, she's so pale, but she's powerful I can feel it oh, God help us I don't think we'll be able to beat her oh, God..._

Seether removed her mocking stare from Relena, now taking the whole group into the gaze.

"'Come into my parlor,'" Seether purred, her gaze darkening, "said the spider to the fly."

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They're there! Finally! Whew... This is probably the longest chapter so far... I think... Actually, I have no idea ^_^;;

I really like Seether's last line. I heard Frieza say it in the American dub once, although it was only last half, and I've also heard it in "Lullaby," as song by the Cure. I don't know who/what the quote is originally from, though...

Well, now I must go work on Chapter 18... unless the writer's block gods decide to curse me... o.o eep.

AND IF MY COMPUTER ERASES IT, I'M GONNA KICK IN THE SCREEN!!!!!

Ja ne, minna-san! ^_^


	18. The Dark Knight

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z or its characters.

Notes: Hi! ::waves to everyone:: Well, after about five billion years I finally managed to get chapter 18 written and posted. ^_^;; Gomen, minna-san, for the long wait. I hope this chapter tides you over until chapter 19.

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Chapter Eighteen: The Dark Knight

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"As much fun it would be to incinerate you now, it would be very boring and anticlimactic." - Seether

2:58 à 32 minutes until the eclipse

"Seether," Relena breathed, the words barely audible as they left her lips.

The fatally beautiful woman's expression did not change, frozen in the ridiculing smirk of her raven lips and the speculative look in her gray eyes. While her face did not alter, her form moved a bit, as she placed her elbow on the barely visible arm of her throne, pressing her fist against her cheek, as if she were bored even though nothing to cause her tedium had occurred. It was clear by her attitude that she did not think of the five as much of a threat, if any kind of threat at all.

A tense moment passed before Bra decided to speak up. "Where is my Papa?" she demanded, ire controlling her voice.

Seether lifted an eyebrow, obviously still amused. "Oh," she said teasingly, "you're a fiery one, aren't you, girl?"

Bra only responded with a glare that could've sent chills down anyone's spine. Anyone but Seether that is. For the evil temptress already had ice in her veins and was very fond of low temperatures.

Seether once again cast a glance at the group. "Doesn't anyone else have anything to say? Heh. Or is this _girl_ the only one brave enough to raise her voice to me?" She snickered again at the startled expressions of Goku, Goten, and Trunks.

"W-we're not scared of you," Goten stammered incredulously, still miffed at the remark.

"No way," Trunks agreed. "In fact, you have no idea who you're dealing with!"

Goku nodded. "So we suggest you hand Vegeta over before-"

"Before what?" Seether interrupted. "Before you fire a Kamehameha at me? Or perhaps give me a taste of your Genki Dama? I wouldn't even try the latter. You might blow up the planet by accident, which would definitely be ironic since you're trying to save it." Seether fixed her eyes on Trunks. "And you're wrong, _boy_. I know exactly who I'm dealing with. You all may be highly skilled and very powerful, but even your combined Saiyajin powers can't stop me."

The room got eerily quiet.

"How..." Goku began. "How did you know about the Kamehameha? Or the Genki Dama? How did you know we were Saiyajins?"

Seether sat up straight, rolling her eyes. "I've lived inside the crust of this planet for two thousand years. I pretty much know the whole history of this mudball and everyone who's ever lived on it from then up to now."

"That's impossible!" Trunks argued. "There's no way you could know everything that's happened! You could only see one part of the earth at a time!"

"After all you've been through, you declare that you know what's possible and what isn't?" Seether laughed, the sound echoing in the stone room. "Nothing is impossible, boy." She stopped her chortles, but her eyes still laughed as she stared at him. "Didn't your mother teach you that?"

Trunks' eyes widened in shock before his face contorted in anger and he exploded into Super Saiyajin, lunging at Seether. "You bitch!" he screamed, letting loose a barrage of fist-sized ki blasts.

"Trunks!" Goku tried to warn him. "Stop!"

Seether merely cast her hand towards the balls of energy and they stopped in mid air. She furrowed her brow as she concentrated, and the orbs slowly floated back to Trunks, surrounding him. She grinned, and the spheres began to pulsate as she began to overload them with her own energy. "Three... Two..."

Trunks' eyes widened. "Kuso..."

"One."

The glowing balls exploded, releasing blinding light, and Trunks was caught in the large blast. The burning energy ripped through his clothing and singed his skin, creating immediate wounds. The pain was more intense than Trunks had ever experienced, and he couldn't stop the screams that tore through his throat. The force from the explosion flung his body back over to Goku and the others as the room returned to its extremely darkened state.

"Trunks!" Bra screamed as he hit the ground face-first. She ran over to her brother and turned him over. "Oh, my Dende! Trunks! Are you alive?" she cried, shaking him.

Trunks hissed from the pain of her moving him. "Ah! Don't, Bra!" he replied, squeezing his eyes shut. 

"Poor baby," Seether mocked. 

"Fuck you," Trunks replied, getting up despite the tortuous pain the slightest movement caused. A good amount of skin had been seared off, and the cold air that brushed by those bleeding areas wracked agony through his body.

"I guess your mother didn't teach you common sense either, boy."

"I'm going to kill you..." Trunks threatened, limping toward her.

"Trunks! No!" Bra ran in front of him. "Look at yourself! You can't fight like this!"

"Get out of my way, Bra," Trunks said, trying to walk around her. He only succeeded in stumbling and falling onto the ground. He let out a loud cry when the raw skin of his legs scraped against the stone.

Goku walked over as Trunks once again got to his feet. "You know she's stronger than you, Trunks. Let me fight her."

Trunks stared at him, then nodded, staggering back over to Goten and Relena. Bra stayed close to his side in case he fell again. Once they made it over to the wall, Trunks slowly sat down, wincing at every ache, and leaned against it. Bra, Relena, and Goten crowded around him to see what they could do about his injuries. With no supplies, however, all they could come up with is using scraps of their clothing to wrap around any severely wounded areas. 

"Are you ready to fight, Seether?" Goku smirked. "I won't make it easy on you because you're a girl."

"You actually think you can beat me?" Seether's grin dulled into a more serious expression. Goku didn't respond, so she continued. "You should know, that if I wanted to I could kill you all right now with ease."

"So you actually think you can beat us," Goku countered, "when we survived those traps in the tunnels?"

Seether smiled. "Ah, yes... I must say, it was fun playing with you all like that."

Goku's smirk faded. "Playing?"

"As I said, I could kill you now if I wanted to."

"You're bluffing."

"Oh really? Well, I can see how you would think that, since I've blocked you from being able to sense power levels," Seether raised a hand, pointing her claws at Goten, "but I'll give you a demonstration." 

Five purple blasts emerged from her fingers, the needle-like attacks streaking towards Goten, homing in on his heart. There was no time for Goku to divert the blasts, and Goten had been so busy helping Relena and Bra tend to Trunks that by the time he looked up to see the blasts he had no time to move out of the way.

Goten prepared for a sharp pain in his chest, but instead felt himself being tackled as Relena jumped on him to shove him out of the way. By the sheer chance she had glanced up just in time and reacted with just enough speed to push Goten out of danger's way. Alas, she was not fast enough to dodge the needles of energy herself, and three of them seared through her right arm. The two other blasts went right through the wall, creating small holes in the stone.

"Ahh!" Relena clutched her three wounds in pain as blood began to seep from them. 

"Relena!" Bra crawled over to the other girl and looked at her arm. She hissed and winced. "Apply pressure on it."

"That's what I'm doing..." 

Bra ripped off most of the waist of her shirt and began tightly wrapping it around Relena's upper arm. She glanced up at Goten for a second. "You okay, Goten?"

He nodded wordlessly, still a little shocked from almost meeting death. "T- thanks, Relena..."

"Forget about it," the American responded.

"You're fast for a human," Seether commented. She met Goku's angry gaze and chuckled. "Do you still doubt me?"

Goku didn't respond at first; he only clenched his fists tighter, closing his eyes. "Let's fight." Suddenly he flamed into Super Saiyajin, his hair turning gold and reaching toward the ceiling. When he opened his eyes Seether could see they were blue.

"As much fun it would be to incinerate you now," Seether said, sitting up straight and leaning back against her stone throne, her arms falling downwards into the shadows of the darkness that still flowed throughout the room, "it would be very boring and anticlimactic."

Goku raised an eyebrow. "What are you saying?"

Seether closed her eyes and began to glow brighter, filling the room once again with a blinding light. The five cried out in alarm as they covered their eyes from the brightness. The glow died down a bit until the entire room was moderately lit with the ghostly light from the woman's body. Once their eyes adjusted, Goku, Trunks, Goten, Bra, and Relena looked at Seether and gasped.

Vegeta kneeled at the incubus' feet, his upper body sprawled across her lap and his eyes closed. He was dressed in inky black medieval armor; a black cape covered his back and a sheathed sword was strapped around his waist. He looked so peaceful that he appeared almost dead, but his slow shallow breathing said different to the relief of the group.

Bra scrambled to her feet and began to run toward her father. "Papa!"

Goku reached out as she ran past and caught her arm, pulling her backwards. She glanced at him desperately, but he only shook his head and moved her behind him.

"Papa..." Bra scowled at Seether. "What did you do to him?"

"Your father is perfectly fine, child." Seether placed one hand on Vegeta's cheek and stroked his hair with the other. "He's only sleeping."

Bra got chills at the sight of this incorrigible woman's claws on her father. "Get your hands off him!" she demanded as she tried to get past Goku, who easily held her back. 

Seether smirked at Bra's hostility. She looked down at the sleeping Vegeta, moving the hand on his cheek to his throat. Bending her fingers so her sharp black nails lightly brushed against his throat, Seether lifted her eyes back up to Bra. "What are they called again?" Seether paused a moment, then continued. "Ah, yes. The carotid arteries. Now from my knowledge, if I were to, say, _slash_ one of them open," she emphasized her statement by pressing her nails to Vegeta's throat, "how long would it be before Vegeta-chan died?"

Bra froze in horror, her eyes widening. "Please don't," she whispered.

Seether smirked, and pressed her claws further into Vegeta's skin.

"DON'T!" Trunks yelled from by the wall, struggling to get up and do something, but not succeeding.

Seether snickered, glancing around the room. Her nails continued to press, even though the added pressure was slight.

"Seether..." Goku began. "Don't..."

Seether looked at the Super Saiyajin, still grinning tauntingly. Then she slowly moved her nails away from Vegeta's throat and placed her hand back on his cheek. "You didn't really think I would hurt my little pet, did you?"

"You bitch!" Bra cried.

"I tire of this," Seether said. "It's time to stop playing around and get to the point." She looked back down at Vegeta once again, moving the hand in his hair onto the arm of her stone throne and placing the other on his forehead. "Wake up, Vegeta-chan," she said softly. Her voice would have almost been tender if it weren't for the viciousness behind it.

The five watched as Vegeta slowly opened his eyes and lifted his head to behold his mistress.

"Papa?" Bra called to him. "Papa??" she cried out in a more distressed manner when he didn't answer or even turn his head to look at her.

Seether's gray eyes flickered to Bra's before returning to gaze back at Vegeta. "Stand, my dark knight, and face our guests."

Vegeta complied, getting to his feet and turning around to face the bewildered group. His hazy eyes, clouded with magic, showed no sign of recognizing Bra, Trunks, or Goten, but when his gaze rested on Goku, his eyes narrowed.

Goku shuddered as Vegeta continued to stare at him with hate-filled eyes. He could tell that at the moment the other Saiyajin wanted nothing more than to decapitate him with the sword at his side, but the prince made no move to do so.

Seether came up behind Vegeta, draping her pale arms over his shoulders and pressing her hands against his armor-covered chest in a possessive embrace. "Instead of me fighting you," she said to Goku over Vegeta's shoulder, "Vegeta-chan will do it for me. It will be so much more dramatic and entertaining, don't you think? I've given him plenty of my own energy to be able to defeat you." She pressed her cheek against Vegeta's. "Besides, he has a score to settle with you."

"Score?" Goku responded. "What score?"

Seether moved her lips close to Vegeta's ear, saying, "Why, because it's your fault that Bulma is dead, of course." The words made Vegeta's eye twitch and his fists clench.

"WHAT?" Goku's mouth dropped open. "What the hell are you talking about? Vegeta! You can't believe this!"

"Why should he believe you?" Seether said, staring mockingly at Goku. "You certainly didn't stop her from coming down here, and now she's dead."

"But she wanted to come down!" Goku argued. He spoke to Vegeta once again. "She wanted to save you!"

"He doesn't need saving," Seether replied. "You will, though, after he's through with you." Her left hand slid down Vegeta's chest and side, until she reached his hip. Her fingers wrapped around the ebony hilt of his sword, and she pulled it out of the sheath. She moved out from behind Vegeta and stood at his side instead, holding up the gleaming sword, the point raised toward the ceiling.

Her gray eyes glittered as she beheld the blade. "Beautiful isn't it?" she said softly, but loud enough for all in the underground cavern to hear. "I created it myself; it's filled with more dark energy than the amount I gave to Vegeta-chan." Her eyes fell on Goku. "Don't falter in your steps. I certainly wouldn't want this blade nicking me." She handed the sword to Vegeta, who took it.

Seether stepped before Vegeta and took his face in her hands, pressing her inky lips to his, drawing immediate sounds of protest from the room. She pulled back after a few moments and looked Vegeta in the eyes. "You shall do your best for me," she stated.

Vegeta nodded. "Hai, Mistress."

Seether smirked and returned to her throne behind Vegeta. She sat down, crossing her legs and resting her hands on the armrests as she leaned back. "You may begin."

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You like? It took... like... months to do, I think, but it's here! Chapter 19 will have a battle in it, but I've never written a fight scene before, so I don't know how long that will take. But if you good, kind people are patient, I'll try to write as best and as fast as I can!

Anywho, now that you've read, please review! Constructive criticism and praise are happily accepted (while flames are ignored). Please tell me which parts you liked the best, since I am curious about that...

Once again, sorry for the long wait. You forgive me?? o_o;


	19. Countdown

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z or its characters

Notes: Through a complicated method of copying and pasting am I able to write this message. My screwed up computer freaked out two weeks ago, and I haven't been able to get on-line since. Now it's kind okay, but there are still a few problems. For instance, the space and shift keys on my keyboard don't work, and AOL still crashes every now and then. But I won't bore you with the details. Here's the nineteenth chapter of TSE, which I finished before my keyboard went on the fritz.

****

Chapter Nineteen: Countdown

_"There will be only momentary discomfort." - Seether_

****

3:10 à 20 minutes until the eclipse

"Bra," Goku hissed, "get back."

Bra backed up, her anxious eyes focused on her father. After a few steps she turned around toward the wall and retreated back to Trunks, Goten, and Relena.

Vegeta took a step toward Goku, his black-gloved fist noticeably tightening around the sword's hilt. His gaze darkened as he brought the sword upwards, holding it over one shoulder with both hands. His legs were spread apart on the ground in a moderately wide stance for balance.

Goku's blue eyes flickered to Seether's confident gaze, then back to Vegeta's angry frown. He held up his hands. "Look, I don't know what Seether did to you, but you can't possibly think that I'm responsible for Bulma's death."

At the mention of his beloved mate's name, Vegeta's eyes narrowed even further and he flamed into Super Saiyajin, leaping at Goku with intense speed. He brought the blade around in an attempt to slash the taller Saiyajin across the stomach, but Goku caught the move in time to leap into the air, so the swipe of the sword severed the air beneath his feet. Goku landed back on the ground, and Vegeta thrust the sword towards his abdomen, Goku dodging the move by moving to the side. Vegeta then swung the sword in an outwards arc to slash his opponent across the waist, and Goku countered it by falling forwards on his hands and knees, causing the blade to only catch of few strands of his hair. Goku made his first offensive strike by kicking his leg out to the side and catching Vegeta in the back of the knee. The prince lost his balance and fell backwards, but instinctively went with the fall, landing on his back and flipping his legs over his head, bringing him back up into a standing position.

As Vegeta and Goku continued their raging battle under the feral and engrossed eye of Seether, Trunks, Goten, Bra, and Relena watched intently from the sidelines.

"When did Otousan get so fast?" Trunks asked, still trying his best not to move around much so not to aggravate his injuries.

"'Tousan is barely keeping up," Goten observed.

"Papa's going to win," Bra decided sullenly. "We're all going to die!"

"Will you stop that?" Relena snapped.

"Well, we might." Bra glanced at Seether. "That goddamn bitch! I'll kill her, I swear!"

"You can't do that if she kills you or if she takes over your mind," Trunks pointed out.

"Exactly!" Bra said, standing up. "Why the hell are we just sitting here?"

"Because I can't goddamn move without tearing open more of my skin!"

"Well, Goten and I are perfectly fine."

Goten's eyes widened. "What?"

"We will take care of Seether."

Goten stood up, and gripped Bra's shoulders. "Have you gone nuts? Didn't you see how she beat the kuso out of Trunks?"

"Thanks," Trunks muttered.

"We can't just sit here and do nothing, Goten!" Bra argued. "Look at your father! He's putting his life on the line for us like he always does, and we just let him, like cowards! Maybe if we injure her enough, we can break her hold on Papa."

"You do have a point..."

Relena stood up, no longer holding onto her injured arm. "You can't be serious, Bra! We still aren't even exactly sure how powerful she is! You'll be killed!"

Bra looked at Relena for a moment, then at Trunks, then finally at Goten.

Goten sighed, then nodded. "Well... let's go die then..."

Bra smiled at him and nodded. "Let's go."

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"You're not supposed to look directly at it," Gohan explained to Pan. "If you do, you could fry your retinas and go blind. You use two pieces of paper, one with a hole in it. You hold the one with the hole over the one without. The light shines onto the bottom paper, and when the eclipse comes, you'll see the shadow of the moon move across the circle of light, representing the sun, on the lower paper."

"I know," Pan replied. "You already said that about a trillion times." She looked around at all the people who were attending the eclipse party in Satan City Park. "Wow. There sure are a lot of people... a lot of weird-looking people."

For every person dressed in the casual jeans and t-shirt, there were at least two other people dressed in strange outfits they had concocted in their homes. Even though some were just in the park to see the event, many others had taken to the words of the fanatics that had traveled to the city to warn of the events that the total solar eclipse would bring. 

The people who were worried about the religious implications were gathered around priests that had actually come to the park to relieve anyone of sins they had committed. Others just gathered in groups and prayed to God that they would be saved, and sometimes a couple might break from the group for a moment to ask a passerby if he or she wanted salvation. These folk were usually seen wearing white robes that the ministers were selling; heck, if the world didn't end they would still make a profit. 

If a person wasn't worried about going straight to Hell that very day, they were adorned with much odder outfits than the religious fanatics. These people were those who were ready to welcome the extraterrestrial beings they expected to come at the moment of the eclipse and take them aboard the mother ship. It is hard to say where this idea originated from, but it had spread enough to cause many to don outfits that were made entirely out of tinfoil, required one to covered their body in green body paint, or other apparel that was equally unique and odd.

"Look!" Pan exclaimed, pointing to a normally clothed group in the crowd. "There they are!"

"Pan, wait!" her father called as she pushed through the swarms of people towards her destination.

Pan met them under a large oak tree. "Hi, Obaasan!" she greeted her grandmother. Then, to the others, "Any fun so far?"

"Oh yes!" Chi-Chi said, in a furious tone. "LOTS of fun."

"'Tousan and Goten haven't shown up, I suppose," Gohan said, joining the group with Videl.

"No, they haven't, and your otousan is going to get it when he comes back home, believe me!" Chi-Chi turned away, folding her arms, mumbling something about testing out her new frying pan.

"I can't believe Goku isn't here," Krillin contributed. "He loves this stuff."

"So does Goten," Marron agreed.

"I don't really see the big deal," Eighteen said. "Can't we go shopping instead?"

"We already went shopping today!" Krillin pointed out.

"Yeah, but I think I might get that jacket after all..."

Pan looked around. "So... is Trunks coming?"

Marron shrugged. "I don't know. We could never get in contact with him or the rest of the family."

"Feh." Pan pouted. "It's no fun without everyone here..." She caught Marron's look. "Not that you guys aren't fun!" She laughed nervously, putting her hand behind her head.

Marron smiled and rolled her eyes. "I know what you mean."

"I'm surprised that Piccolo-san came," Gohan mentioned.

"Piccolo?" Marron and Pan repeated in unison.

Gohan pointed behind the two girls. They turned around, and shrieked when they saw that the tall green Namek was right behind them, arms folded and eyes fixed on Gohan.

"So Goku isn't here?" He continued at Gohan's nod. "There's something wrong."

"He seemed perfectly healthy the last time I-"

"Not his health, Gohan," Piccolo interrupted. "There's just something wrong... I have a bad feeling about today, and your father missing doesn't make me feel any better."

"Missing?" Chi-Chi spoke up, eyeing Piccolo. "What do you mean?"

"Even though Goku always forgets to tell everyone where he goes off to train, you've probably scared the crap out of Goten enough for him to remember he should at least leave you a note," Piccolo explained, ignoring Chi-Chi's huff at his remark. "Plus, I can't sense Goku's ki anywhere..."

"Neither can I," Gohan put in, "but maybe he's just too far away."

"Since when does Goku go halfway around the world to train? Besides, I can't find Vegeta or Trunks' ki either. Doesn't that seem a little weird to you?"

"The Briefs family is on a trip. It must be somewhere far away."

"Who says they're on vacation?"

"Trunks' secretary," Marron said. "I spoke to her myself. She said that Trunks and his family were on vacation and he wouldn't even disclose the location to her for sake of privacy."

Piccolo snorted. "There's something wrong here... I can feel it. Doesn't anyone else find it odd that the Vegeta and his family are missing around the same time as Trunks and Goten? Something bad is going to happen."

"Oh, you're just paranoid," Gohan suggested.

"Just stay alert," Piccolo warned him. "The feeling got worse only when I came here."

"Excuse me, sir!"

Every looked down to see a little girl tugging on Piccolo's cape, looking up at him with big, awed eyes. In her brown hair she wore silver antennae that bobbed up and down when she cocked her head, and covering her body was a silver bodysuit with little silver boots.

"Where did you get your costume?" she asked, still in wonder. "It looks so real!"

Piccolo looked back up at Gohan, rolling his eyes. "What is with all these lobotomized people?" He sighed. "I'm going to keep watch from somewhere more secluded. Remember: be on guard." With that he walked off, disappearing into the crowd.

The little girl watched him go, then looked at the rest of the group. "What show is he supposed to be from?"

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The pair of half-Saiyajins moved cautiously along the walls of the cavern to avoid the battle between Goku and Vegeta. Bra and Goten kept their eyes on Seether, making sure her attention was still focused on the skirmish in the center of the stone room. They slowly slid behind Seether's throne, where they planned to make a surprise attack. After glancing at each other once, both leaped upwards above the throne, Bra powering up and Goten turning Super Saiyajin. Once hovering in the air they aimed their palms downwards and prepared to unleash their strongest attacks.

Before they could make a move, however, Seether suddenly leaped up and grabbed both of them by the throat without even turning around. Bra and Goten gasped in surprise and in the need for their oxygen. Seether floated back down to stand on her stone dais, holding her captives before her. Bra was trying to pry her hands off from around her throat and Goten was clawing desperately at her other arm.

"This is very cute," Seether said, looking from one struggling half-Saiyajin to the other. "You actually thought you could sneak up on me? Very cute indeed. I do wonder, though, exactly what you thought this would accomplish?"

Goten only gasped for air. Bra however, managed to work up some saliva and spat it into Seether's face.

"You impertinent little brat!" Seether exploded, tightening her fingers around the girl's neck and shaking her violently, so much that her spinal cord was on the verge of snapping.

But Bra's neck was saved by Goten, for when Seether's hold tightened on Bra, it loosened on Goten. Now that he could breath, he was able to send a large blast that hit Seether directly in the face. She cried out in shock and lost her hold on the two, who plopped ungracefully before the throne. Goten continued to fire blasts at the evil witch for a few moments, still lying on his back. 

"Thanks... pant... Goten..." Bra said as she got up.

"No problem," he replied, also getting to his feet and still bombarding Seether at the same time.

"I think you have a big problem!" Seether yelled, emerging from the smoke and smacking Goten's blasts out of the way as she reached for him. She was unharmed, but her left sleeve had been torn away up to her shoulder. She quickly gripped the young man by his golden hair, lifting him into the air where he flailed around in distress. She brought her other hand back, arching her fingers so that her black nails stood out like daggers, and prepared to impale them into Goten's face.

"No!" Bra protested, jumping onto the arm of the rock chair and grabbing Seether's arm, holding it back with all the strength she had.

At that point it was a struggle between Bra and Seether as the woman tried to yank her arm from the girl. Goten wriggled around in the air, trying to pry the hand from his hair.

Trunks and Relena could only watch the two battles going on in the cave. Trunks was still trying to get up and contribute to the fight despite his massive injuries that Seether had previously inflicted on his body. Relena was trying to get him to sit down, which was hard since she couldn't use physical force because it would cause him more pain.

"Trunks! Settle down!" Relena insisted.

"Are you kidding?" Trunks replied, now sitting on his knees. "Look at them! Seether is mauling them!" He pointed to the three across the cavern. Seether had just swung Goten right into Bra, causing the two to fly into the wall and crumple to the floor in a heap. Now she was advancing on them.

"What do you expect to do in your condition?"

"Well, you're not doing anything!"

Relena bit her lip, feeling totally useless, which was what she was at the moment. So far she hadn't contributed anything to the fight. She glanced at her watch, seeing that there were only ten minutes until the eclipse. "What do you want me to do? I'm only human!"

"Well, you're stronger and smarter then most humans... What about your aura sensing ability? Can't you use that somehow?"

"I've tried..."

"And...?"

"From what I can tell by her aura, Trunks," Relena said, looking at him with terror in her eyes, "we're screwed."

Back at the battle between the two full Saiyajins, Goku had just barely dodged another swing from Vegeta's sword. Before Vegeta could attack again, Goku let loose a barrage of ki blasts at him. They hit their target, creating large puffs of smoke that hid Seether's knight from view. Goku brought up his arms, holding the heels of his hands together as he announced one of his trademark assaults.

"KA... ME... HA... ME..." 

But the time it took Goku to power up his attack cost him as Vegeta emerged from the cloud, sword in hand. Before Goku could react in time, Vegeta struck him in the arm, creating a large gash below the shoulder.

Goku cried out in surprise and pain as the evil energy that possessed the blade surged through his body, rapidly decreasing his energy. He quickly pulled back, the point of the sword removed from his flesh, but his energy did not seem to return to him. The sudden loss of strength was dizzying and Goku fell to his knees, dropping out of Super Saiyajin. His right hand clutched his wound, and crimson blood seeped in between his fingers, running in warm streams down his arm. Goku glanced at the wound and then back up at Vegeta who towered over him.

Goku wanted nothing more than to get away, to not be so close to the man who wanted to kill him under the influence of the evil she-devil who was attacking Goten and Bra, but his energy was still seeping from him. It was leaving him as quickly as his blood oozed from the slash in his arm. He couldn't move; he was suddenly too tired to. He couldn't even hold his head up.

Vegeta brought the tip of his sword, covered with some of Goku's blood, under the fellow Saiyajin's chin, tilting his head upwards. Goku's vision wavered a little, but after a second he could see his rival very clearly: the iron grip on the hilt of the sword, the serious line of his mouth which would have been a smirk if the situation had been different, the his hazy, spellbound eyes.

"Now you die," Vegeta said monotonously, preparing to impale the blade through Goku's throat.

Bulma woke up sprawled in the dirt and her body aching. She got up slowly, resting on her hands and knees as she waited for her headache to dissipate. She rocked backwards so that she sat on her butt, and looked herself over to evaluate her injuries, surprised to find that she only had bruises and cuts and torn up clothing instead of broken bones.

She stood up, leaning against the side of the tunnel trying to think of what she should do next, when the sound of blasts and yells finally registered in her ears. That's when she also noticed that tunnel was not hollowed out from dirt; she was resting on stone. Listening to the noises again, Bulma could distinguish the voices of those of the people she knew, the people she had been racing all through these tunnels to be reunited with.

Her eyes widened. She'd found them! Finally, after days of being alone in this abyss, she had found Trunks, Bra, Goten, Goku and Relena! 

Bulma raced towards the sounds, those sounds that were so wonderful to her ears despite the warnings of danger within them. The sounds that got louder and louder as she ran down the tunnel, her boots thudding against the rock beneath her feet. She dashed around a corner and found herself at an entrance to a large cavern.

And she could not believe the sight within.

Vegeta, clad in ebony armor, stood before Goku, who was kneeling helpless in front of him clutching his bleeding arm. In Vegeta's hands was a gleaming sword, the bloody point under Goku's chin, barely puncturing the skin of his throat.

"Now," Bulma heard her husband dully say to her lifelong friend, "you die."

"NO!" Bulma screamed, running into the tunnel. "Vegeta, don't!"

As she stopped a few feet from him, afraid she would somehow provoke him to shove the blade through Goku's throat, she saw Vegeta stiffen. His foggy eyes widened, the haziness disappearing, and he slowly turned his neck to look at her. His mouth opened ever so slightly in amazement. The sword began to waver, the point brushing against Goku's skin, scratching against the flesh, but not forcefully enough to draw blood.

"Vegeta?" Bulma said softly. "What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Bulma?" The name was only a whisper through Vegeta's lips.

"Yes..." She took a few more steps toward him, one hand slightly reaching out to her husband. "Vegeta, what are you doing?"

The sword then began to tremble more violently, and Goku finally scrounged up some energy to move away before his throat got torn to pieces, falling backwards to sit on his rear. There was a loud clattering clang as the sword dropped from Vegeta's hands to the ground, and then he fell forward onto his knees, holding the sides of his head and crying out at the sudden presence of a raging pounding inside his skull.

"Vegeta!" Bulma ran to his side, kneeling down. She draped one arm across his back and held his cheek in the other, trying to help the pain go away.

Goku watched from where he sat, relief overcoming him from Bulma's fortunate entrance. He wearily smiled at the embrace, and promptly lost consciousness, falling backwards onto the granite floor.

Leaning against the wall, Trunks could only gape at the appearance of his mother. "She's... she's alive..."

The same could be said for Relena who sat by him, only she was too shocked to speak.

Across the cave, Goten and Bra were also at a loss for words at Bulma's return. Seether's onslaught having stopped at this momentous event, they could only lean against the wall in bewilderment, tears forming in Bra's eyes.

A certain dark-haired villainess, however, seethed at the sight of her pet's mate's return. How could it be? The blue-haired bitch was supposed to be dead. DEAD. And here she was, bruises and cuts here and there and plenty dirty, but perfectly fine! And now she was coddling Vegeta, who was...

Seether's eyes narrowed further as she realized that at his mate's return, Vegeta was remembering everything that had truly happened, and that the rush of memories was causing the pain in his skull. Normally, he might have passed out from the sensory overload, but with all the energy Seether had fed him, he would be able to sustain it.

_And have plenty of energy to turn on me with_, she thought. Well, that wouldn't happen! Turning away from Bra and Goten, who were still mesmerized by Bulma's arrival, Seether slowly began to move towards her knight and his mate, the shadows of her bangs cloaking her gleaming grey eyes.

The pain wracking in his head finally vanished, leaving Vegeta wide-eyed and gasping for air. He became aware of the arms around him, letting his arms lower and turning to see Bulma's concerned expression. One arm rose again, his hand cupping her dirt-smeared cheek as he stared into her eyes, making sure her form, her touch, the sound of her breathing were not some cruel illusion.

Bulma was getting more worried by the moment. Vegeta was so pale, with dark circles under his eyes. His breathing was labored, and he could barely hold himself up. And why was he looking at her like that? Like he was seeing a ghost...

Seether stopped her approach in the center of the cavern, casting her hand outwards and scarcely furrowing her brow in concentration...

After realizing that, yes, it was her, it was Bulma- his mate, his wife, the love of his life, and a thousand other names he may by chance refer to her as only in his thoughts. Vegeta's eyes closed halfway. Bulma blinked when the hand on her cheek moved downwards and seized her chin, slowly pulling her face closer to his...

Abruptly, Vegeta burst into screams as purple electricity was suddenly being ripped from his body. Bulma cried out as the energy surrounded him, pulling back as the hand on her chin began to burn her skin. Vegeta's head was thrown back as he howled, eyes squeezed shut, and then he was leaning forward and flattening his hands against the ground. Bulma tried to reach for him, but the crackling energy kept her at bay. Bulma glanced behind her husband and finally noticed Seether for the first time, her eyes widening and then narrowing in anger when she realized who it was.

Seether drew the energy she had supplied Vegeta with back into her own body, the violet forming a stream from his body to her palm, letting out a satisfied sigh at the sensation. Her eyes met Bulma's and she smirked, seeing instantly where Bra got her fire from. Returning her gaze to Vegeta, she slightly concentrated once again, and the purple energy wrapped around Vegeta. She continued to absorb the energy, at the same time pulling the prince toward herself, laughing at Bulma's yelling for her to let him go.

The back of Vegeta's armor hit her palm, and she dug her nails into the metal, holding him up. She finally stopped soaking up his energy, and Vegeta hung limply in her grip, half-conscious. She held Vegeta up so they were face to face, even though Vegeta's head rested against his chest.

"I said, let him go!" Bulma demanded, running toward Seether.

The temptress only cast her hand out once again, this time expelling a bit of energy that was forceful enough to send Bulma flying backwards into the floor. "Foolish woman," Seether laughed. "You really think that you, YOU, can stand against me?" She faced Vegeta once again, seeing that he was able to hold his head up. "Guess what, Vegeta-chan?" she said bittersweetly. "The eclipse-"

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"-is here!" a man with a microphone shouted to the swarms of people in the park. "A short period of darkness will occur in only seconds! Remember, don't look directly at it, or you may go blind!"

There was a low rumbling from the crowd in their excitement as they prepared to view the total solar eclipse, moving into the currently well-lit areas. 

"Get ready for a once in a lifetime experience, 'Kaasan!" Gohan said cheerfully, not knowing how right he could be...

"We're going to countdown to total darkness!" the announcer yelled to the crowd as the moon crept across the sky towards the sun. "Ten!"

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Seether, with one hand already drilled into the back of Vegeta's armor, dug the nails of her other hand into his breastplate, purposely driving them deep enough so that they punctured the skin around Vegeta's heart.

"Don't worry, Vegeta-chan," she purred at the sight of Vegeta's wince. "There will be only momentary discomfort."

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"Nine! Eight!" The crowd began chanting along with the countdown.

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Seether began forcing massive energy into Vegeta's body, ignoring his agony-filled screams. The dark energy melded with the prince's, preparing to be conducted into the world above, to penetrate the minds of all the living creatures and remove their free will. Seether licked her lips, thinking of the power she would hold as the ruler of Earth, and the pleasure she would receive from the conduit who would be at her side.

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From his watching point, Piccolo's head snapped up, sensing the sudden surge of massive energy under the crowd's feet, and at the same time knowing that what it was too late for him or anyone to stop whatever demonic occurrence was about to take place.

"Seven! Six!" 

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Thousands of thoughts raced through Relena's mind as she tried to think of something, ANYTHING, to stop this. They had come so close, they couldn't give up now! The whole planet was depending on them, even if the inhabitants didn't know it. If this continued, if Seether used Vegeta to force her will on the residents of Earth, all would be lost.

But what could she do? Nothing. That's what she could do, what anyone could do. All was lost. The Earth was doomed...

__

"Don't falter in your steps. I certainly wouldn't want this blade nicking me..."

Relena gasped, her eyes widening in realization. 

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"Five! Four!"

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****

"Bulma!" Relena yelled from across the cave to the blue-haired woman, who was shaking Goku in a useless effort to awaken him. "The sword!" She pointed to the blade, which wasn't far from Bulma and Goku.

Bulma glanced from Relena's desperate expression to the blade with the black hilt, lying on the ground. She crawled over Goku and gripped the ebony shank, getting to her feet. She stumbled a bit; the sword was heavier than it looked. 

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"Three! Two!"

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Bulma lifted the blade up, trying to get her balance. Then she ran towards Seether, the blade pointed straight towards the incubus who had her claws in her husband. Bulma's anger at the demonic woman consumed her; the thoughts of the monster taking her husband away, having her claws on him, and using him for her own purposes were making her blood boil. She screamed in rage, closing in on Seether...

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"One!"

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You like? I hope so. Well, chapter twenty, which is looking to be the last chapter, is almost done, but I can't finish it until we get another keyboard. We should have one in a couple days, though. My new scanner that I got for Christmas should be hooked up by too, so I may get some of my illustrations up on my site! Huzzah! See you all again in a couple weeks! 


	20. Black Blood

Disclaimer: I do not own Dragonball Z or the characters. 

Author's Notes: Hey hey hey, minna! I'm back, and guess what? This is last chapter of Total Solar Eclipse! \^o^/ Huzzah! Frankly, I'm glad, because it was really hard to get this damn thing done. ~_~ Now I can get started on my next story... that is, after this shorter one I have to write... Anyway, go! Read read! And please review!

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Chapter Twenty: Black Blood

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"Whoosh!" – Bra

1 second until the eclipse

It was the final second to the countdown. Everything all over the planet seemed to slow down in that one moment as the moon finished its advance to the sun. Every action was almost to the point of halting completely as the black moon became one second from completely blocking the raging fiery sun from view.

The run of the mill spectators in Satan City Park continued to cheer, the noise melding with the wails of those praying to be delivered to their god and the whoops of those waiting for the appearance of intelligent life to take them elsewhere in the universe. One of the few people not shouting was Piccolo, all the muscles in his body tensing in that one instant as he waited to see what the darkness would bring.

Dozens of feet under the people gathered in Satan City Park were Seether, Vegeta, and the group of six rescuers who had set out six days before to stop the incubus from infecting the minds of every living creature on Earth. Whether or not Seether's demonic plot would take place would be decided here, in this large, cold, underground cavern. The only question: who would be the one to stop Seether?

Would it be Goku, the warrior with immense strength? The strength that had defeated the many others that had tried to doom the planet before? The warrior with not only physical strength, but also strength of the heart? Alas, no. For this proud fighter lie on the stone ground unconscious, having lost a recent battle against Vegeta, Seether's mind-controlled knight.

If one were to move down the line of strength, they would come to Trunks. Would this young man, with great power of brains and brawn be able to stop Seether in that one instant? No, once again. For with his intelligence and strength came his temper, which had caused Trunks to snap and attack Seether. During that very attempted assault was when she used his very own attack to injure him, and now he sat on his knees, leaning against the wall behind him, forced to watch his father being used as a conduit for Seether's dark energy.

Goten? Him neither. Although the young man was strong, nearly as strong as Trunks, he already battled Seether alongside Bra, and both their energy was spent. Goten and Bra stood by a wall off to the side of Seether's throne, Goten's arms around the girls as she clutched his shirt, watching her father scream as Seether mercilessly pumped massive amounts of energy into his body.

So, in canceling out Goku, Trunks, Goten, and Bra, there were only two people left in the group: Bulma and Relena. Both humans, both above average intelligence, but both weak in physical strength when compared to those with Saiyajin genes. Despite this disadvantage, however, they seemed to find a way that perhaps may stop the enslavement of the planet. Seconds before this last moment available to save the world, Relena had recalled a comment Seether had made before Goku and Vegeta's battle:

_"Don't falter in your steps. I certainly wouldn't want this blade nicking me..."_

And so Relena's gaze shot to the blade across the cavern. She gave a shout to Bulma, who knelt over Goku nearby, alerting the blue-haired scientist, who crawled quickly over to the blade, grasping it and standing to face Seether...

Now, in this imperative last second, Bulma was running towards Seether, the inky black hilt of the sword that was consumed with the villainess' dark energy gripped tightly in her hands. The gleaming blade pierced the air before her, the point aimed at Seether's midsection, as she dashed, boots thwapping the rock beneath her. In this last moment, Seether's power-lusting expression switched from maniacal glee to surprise as her gaze flickered to the screaming mate of her conduit. In the last portion of this moment, the blade was only an inch from Seether's body...

And it pierced her skin and slid neatly through her abdomen, the end of the word passing through her body and jutting out her back, coated in her black blood.

And now, as the moment was over, as on the surface the moon completely hid the sun, all actions returned from slow motion to regular speed.

Seether froze, now unable to send anymore power through Vegeta as the sword greedily devoured her strength. Her grey eyes were wide in shock, and her lips parted a bit, although no breath was inhaled or exhaled. The rest of her body remaining still, Seether tilted her head downwards to see the blade of the very sword she had created impaled in her, draining her energy, uncaring if it left nothing to sustain its creator's life. Inky blood oozed from the wound, soaking her dress and sliding down her leg, its hue a great contrast against her ivory skin.

Seether lifted her view a bit to look upon Bulma, whose hands were still braced around the sword. The woman's blue eyes stared at where the blade had struck the demon, not believing that she had actually done this, that she had had the speed to do it, had the courage to. Bulma finally loosened her hands, taking a few steps backward, her astonished gaze meeting Seether's.

Silence consumed the cavern, all staring at the center of the cave, all focused on the defeated Seether. There was no sound, no movement, only flabbergasted expressions.

Finally, a shudder wracked Seether's body, and her nails suddenly removed themselves from Vegeta's flesh and armor. The prince fell to the ground, a loud clanking echoing throughout the granite room when metal armor hit rock. Bulma threw herself to the ground and crawled over to her husband, taking his gloved hand in hers as she bent over him worriedly.

There was a scuffling as Seether stumbled backwards, away from Vegeta and Bulma. Her pale hands gripped the sword's hilt as she watched Vegeta slowly sit up, Bulma's arms immediately enclosing him. Whether or not Vegeta appreciated the hug was unknown, since he had no energy to push her away or speak against the embrace. He merely rested in Bulma's arms, eyes closed. Yes, Seether had given him plenty of energy, but the energy was a part of Seether, and when she was skewered with the blade it absorbed the power Vegeta had been forcefully fed.

Despite her immensely weakened state, Seether tightened her grasp on the sword and pulled it out of her torso, closing her eyes and wincing at the pain that electrified her nerves as she felt it slide from her body. Once the blade left her body, the blood-dripping weapon seemed to weigh so much more, and it dropped from her hand to the ground with a clatter. Seether opened her lips further, her intention to curse at the couple that sat before her, but only a pathetic strangled mew escaped her throat as thick ebony fluid flowed over her lips and down her chin, slithering down her throat.

Even with the absence of the sword in her flesh, Seether knew it was too late. She could not regain enough energy to continue to live after having so much drained. Her hands drifted to the wound, a palm pressing against her abdomen and fingers splayed across her stomach, the other hand covering its counterpart. She fell to her knees, hunching over once she hit the ground. She began to cough, more blood being hacked from her throat and down onto the stone.

Seether froze, her eyes widening and losing their evil gleam, pupils shrinking. Her body tensed and she collapsed completely, her body making a light thud as it crumpled to the ground. Her dull eyes never closed, her body remained still, and her mouth stayed open, blood still seeping through her jet black lips.

There was a long moment of silence, all staring at Seether's lifeless body.

"Is..." Bra gulped. "Is she dead?"

"I think so," Bulma said softly.

Goten and Bra removed themselves from their embrace. They stared at each other for a moment, blushing, then walked side by side over to Vegeta and Bulma. Trunks and Relena joined them, Trunks' arm around Relena's shoulders as she helped him shuffle over to the other four. They were silent for a few moments, still not believing they had survived the ordeal.

Bra suddenly collapsed by her mother's side, embracing her in a hug so fierce that Bulma was forced to rest the exhausted Vegeta on the ground for the moment. Trunks leaned down on the other side of his mother, resting a hand on her shoulder and smiling at her.

"We thought you were dead!" Bra blurted out, tears streaming down her face.

"No," Bulma replied, wiping the tears from her daughter's cheeks. "I'm fine. I had a hard time finding all of you again, though."

"It's a good thing you did," Relena said. "Without you we would've been finished."

"No," Bulma said. "I never would've thought twice about that sword if you hadn't brought it to my attention."

"Maybe so," Trunks put in, "but 'Tousan never would've snapped out of it if you hadn't shown up."

"That was so romantic until Seether butted in," Bra said, letting go of Bulma. "Papa was going to kiss you, wasn't he?"

"I was not," Vegeta grumbled from the ground.

"Sure you weren't." Bulma smirked, leaning over him. "But whether you were or not, I'll kiss you now anyway." She lowered her head, pressing her lips to Vegeta's. He raised no complaint after they parted.

"Can you sit up, Vegeta?" Goten asked.

"Of course I can." Vegeta proved so by sitting up, supporting himself by flattening his hands on the ground behind him. His eyes fell upon Relena. "Who the hell are you?"

"Well, hello to you too, Sunshine," she replied.

"This is Relena," Bulma said to Vegeta, gesturing to the auburn-haired young woman. "She helped us rescue you."

"I see..." Vegeta said. He slowly stood up, Bulma staying close by in case he fell, despite the look he gave her.

Relena smiled. "You're welcome."

"I could have beat her myself, though."

"If you weren't being mind-controlled."

"Hmph." Vegeta glanced around. "So where's that baka?

"I'm over here," Goku groaned from where he lay, having returned to consiousness a few moments before. He sat up inspecting the wound on his arm. The blood had dried and stopped flowing, but it still ached. "Damn it, Vegeta. Did you have to do that?"

"Stop whining, Kakarot."

"Well, I guess you finally defeated me..."

"No."

"No?" was the reply from everyone but Relena.

"No. I beat him with the help of that bitch," Vegeta said, motioning to Seether's still form. "But I'll defeat you one day, Kakarot."

Goku smiled, getting to his feet. "I'll look forward to that battle."

"So will I," Vegeta replied with his signature smirk. His confident expression, however, contorted into a pained one, and he folded his arms over his stomach.

"'Tousan! Are you okay?" Bra exclaimed.

"I'm fine," Vegeta responded, trying to hide his wincing.

"All right, tough guy," Bulma began. "Bra, help me help your father walk."

"I don't need any help."

"Sure you don't," Bulma patronized, wrapping one of his arms around her shoulder as Bra did the same with the other.

"I guess you'll need help, too, 'Tousan," Goten said to his father.

Bra laughed. "This is great. The strongest three can't even walk without the weakest! Ha! Ow!" she shrieked when Vegeta pinched her arm.

Trunks let Relena wrap his arm around her shoulder. "What do you say we get the hell out of here?"

Goten's eyes flickered to an object lying on the ground by the fallen Seether. "Wait a second!" He removed his father's arm from his shoulder and ran over to the sword and picked it up. He trotted back over to the group. "What should we do with this?"

"I guess we should take it with us," Bulma said. "Once you guys have all your strength back you should be able to destroy it."

"I don't know," Goku said. "Just because Seether is dead doesn't mean that we're stronger than her. She was defeated by her own magic. I don't think we'll be able to get rid of it."

"We'll think of something later, okay?" Bra said. "Let's just go. It's freezing down here!"

"Let's blow this popsicle stand," Goten quipped. "Get it? Freezing? Popsicles?"

The only replies he got were rolling eyes and blank stares.

"What?"

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By now, the moon's shadow had passed over the sun, and sunlight once again lit the world below. The crowd was no longer cheering; now that the eclipse was over they had continued their use of the carnival, moving from the rides to the games to the food stands. One group of people, however, did not have their minds set on enjoying the celebration.

"What are you saying, Gohan?" Chi-Chi asked.

"When the eclipse occurred, there was a sudden upsurge of energy, right below our feet," Gohan answered, "but a few seconds later, it disappeared." He looked to the Piccolo and Krillin. "You felt it too, ne?"

"How could I not?" Krillin exclaimed.

"Yeah, well, do you feel that now?" Piccolo commented.

"Feel what?" Chi-Chi asked.

"I can feel them all underground beneath us. Goku, Goten, Trunks, and Vegeta. There's another power that's lower than theirs... I think it's Bra. Then there are two normal range powers. I believe one is Bulma, but I've never felt the other one before..."

"Are you saying they just defeated some enemy without us?" Krillin said. "I feel so left out... yet relieved at the same time."

"No one's saying anyone got defeated," Gohan pointed out. "Piccolo, the unrecognizable power, do you think it's the weakened enemy?"

"No," the Namekian replied. "Whatever the enemy was, it's gone."

"Well, that's good," Krillin commented. "That enemy sure was powerful from what I felt."

"Goku and Goten are UNDER THE GROUND?" Chi-Chi repeated.

"I'm sure they'll come back up soon, Okaasan," Gohan assured her. "Safe and sound."

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I lie on the cold ground, having regained a conscious state of mind. The blood still flows from my body, but the pace has lessened. Trying my best to ignore the agony vibrating through my bones, I sit up, wiping some blood off my chin with an arm. The act is meaningless, however, for new blood continues to pour over my bottom lip.

Yes, I am still alive. Barely. In fact, I will die soon from the blood loss. I knew it when I was struck with the sword, and I know it now; I lost too much energy to survive for long.

I sit, still absorbing the fact that I have been beaten, wishing that I was still catatonic so I wouldn't have to think about it. Defeated. And not just defeated. Defeated by a human. A weakling. I had the strongest of them crushed, helpless, in agony, and a fragile human, whose body I could've easily snapped in two, came to the rescue, defeating me with my own enchanted sword.

Now that I think about the irony, it's kind of amusing. Funny really. Hilarious.

It's to funny, in fact, that I'm laughing now, letting it all out. My own shrill laughter fills my ears now, the sound echoing throughout my icy cavern.

A human!

I throw my head back, still cackling.

A human defeated me, using my own power against me! Hell, I might as well have stabbed myself anyway, since I am such a fool. I even bothered to wait until this fucking eclipse, when I could've used Vegeta days ago!

The laughter gets louder, and the pain in my abdomen worsens. I ignore it. 

I could've killed every single one of them once they got here, but I toyed with them instead! I could've drowned them by letting the water fill the tunnels for a moment longer, or incinerated them by merely increasing the speed of the lava!

And now... Now I am going to die for my foolishness. I will perish for having the same arrogance I have seen exhibited by the others the Z fighters have fought. I saw it with my own eyes, yet I believed that I would be different!

The laughter dies a bit, now more of an insane giggle.

They think they'll get away with it? Get away with making a fool of me? Of me? Well, then I'm not the only fool.

Casting my right hand over my left, I exert the bit of magic I have regained while unconscious and a black rose appears in my palm. Its petals are soft and healthy, but the stem is stiff and littered thorns, the end cut off at a sharp slant. There are no leaves emerging from the stem; I never cared for leaves on roses.

I take the rose and drag the sharp end of the stem across my wrist, slicing open my skin and the veins beneath. Blood slowly begins to build up in the slash; it might have come faster if so much blood hadn't been lost already.

I dips the stem in the blood that has collected on my wrist, then switch the dark blossom to the other hand. With my bleeding arm I hold the flower over the stone ground before me, and a single bead of fluid drips from the pointed end of the stem to the rock. The drop of blood combined with the moisture of the flower stalk creates an acid, drilling a hole into the impenetrable stone. I slide half of the stem into the cavity, then suspend my bleeding wrist close to the rose, squeezing my arm just below the slash, forcing the blood to ooze out and pour onto the ground, surrounding the flower. The fluid seeps into the places between the stem and the stone, and already I can see the rose begin to grow, hear the roots absorbing their nourishment.

My laughter finally ceases, but a weary smile remains as I watch my blossom swell in size, the petals becoming fuller and blacker. My eyes fix on the ebony pigment of the petals, my gaze drowning in them until they are all I can see...

Then all I know is black.

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"Be careful with that thing, Goten!" Trunks scolded after almost getting his leg sliced off by Seether's sword.

"Sorry," Goten apologized, "it's hard to support 'Tousan and hold the sword at the same time, and it's kind of hard to see with only that ki ball as our light."

"Why didn't we think of that before when the flashlights went out?" Goku asked suddenly.

An embarrassed silence fell over the group.

"Idiots," Vegeta mumbled.

They had been walking for about a quarter of an hour, and already Vegeta, Trunks, and Goku no longer needed any assistance walking, having regained enough energy to do so themselves. Although none of them were in the greatest of shape. They were still considerably weak compared to their normal energy level, but they were strong enough to unleash any ki attacks, if need be.

"I cannot wait to get the hell out of here and into a hot shower," Bulma said.

"I can't wait to get out of here and spend some time by myself," Bra responded. "Being cramped in these tunnels with the same people for so long is probably gonna give me social anxiety." She glanced at those around her. "Uh... no offense... heh..."

"I can't wait to get some actual food," Goku added.

"Amen!" responded everyone but Vegeta.

Relena's eyes drifted back to the sword in Goten's hand. "Do you really think we should take that back up to the surface? It could be dangerous, and, like Goku said, you guys don't know if you'll actually be able to destroy it."

"Don't tell me you think Kakarot is right," Vegeta replied.

"Actually," Trunks put in, "if we try to destroy it, the explosion could possibly destroy the whole planet, what with all the power that thing has absorbed."

"Then what do we do with it?" Bra asked.

"We could just leave it down here," Goku suggested.

"Just leave it here?" Bulma exclaimed. "Are you nuts?"

"Actually, we could," Relena began. "I mean, who is going to find it down here?"

"Well, it depends on where we are, and if they would do construction around this area."

"That doesn't do us any good, since all we know is that we're under Satan City."

"We're under Satan City Park," Vegeta put in.

Bulma glanced at him. "And how do you know that? Weren't you hypnotized?"

"Not exactly. Seether liked to boast to me about her plans. I'm not deaf, onna, even after listening to your babble for half my life."

"Hmph." Bulma rolled her eyes. "Same old Vegeta. And I am _so_ excited to have the old him back."

"Why don't we just bury it further underground?" Trunks offered. "There has to be some limit to how deep people will dig."

"I guess so," Relena agreed.

"Ahem," Bra coughed, removing her father's arm from her shoulder and walking a ways back down the tunnel. "I believe _I_ shall do the honors." She made a big show of cracking her knuckles, and then held her palm over the ground, which had reverted back to dirt as the group had traveled. She let out a small blast of ki that disappeared into the ground, leaving a hole that extended to unknown depths. She held her hand out for the sword, and Goten complied. Bra dangled the point a few inches from the opening, then glanced up to confirm that this was there decision.

"Go ahead, Bra," Bulma said, amongst the nods of the others.

"Whoosh!" Bra exclaimed as she released the ebony hilt and watched the weapon vanish into the depths of the earth. "Whelp, that's that."

At that moment faint shrill laughter could be heard, coming from the direction of the cavern. All eyes wandered in that direction, their gaze wide and fearful, the cackling chilling them to the bone as it grew louder and louder.

"Crap," Goku blurted out.

"I thought she was dead!" Relena squeaked.

"She sure looked it," Bulma replied.

"Maybe she's still dying?" Goten said hopefully as the laughter began to die down.

"Maybe," Trunks added when the sound faded completely.

They waited for a moment, listening to any further signs of life.

"Should we... go back?" Bulma whispered.

With a rumble the ground began to shake all around them, softly at first, but getting more violent by the moment. The group soon found themselves stumbling all over the tunnel, struggling not to fall.

"Bra!" Trunks yelled as he slammed into Goten, causing both of them to hit the shaking soil. "What the hell did you do?"

"Oh, don't even!" Bra screamed back, trying to cling onto the dirt wall. "This is so not my fault!"

"I'm too young to die!" Bulma screeched.

"You have got to be kidding me," her husband responded.

"Shut-up, Ve- Eek!" Bulma was cut short, figuratively and nearly literally when a thick pointed object suddenly burst from the wall, spraying clumps of so and nearly impaling her. 

"What the hell?" Goten exclaimed as another object shot from the dirt near him, grazing his arm and going straight across the tunnel and through the opposite wall. He cried out and grabbed his bleeding arm. "Shit!"

There was another intense shudder of the earth amidst the already fierce shakings and Bulma was forced to grab the thing protruding from the wall to stay on her feet. Upon closer inspection, Bulma realized that these things erupting from the soil were-

"Roots!" Bulma yelled. "They're giant plant roots!"

"I don't care what the fuck they are!" Vegeta said.

"We have to get out of here!" Relena cried out before leaping out of the way of another root.

"I'm on it," Goku grunted, as he struggled to keep his balance while pointing his hands upward and letting loose a considerably large ball of energy. The blast went up and up, and an ecstatic grin was plastered on his face when Goku saw it explode to the surface, shooting to the sky and exploding in the air and leaving him the sight of a blue sky some hundred odd feet above.

Goku turned to the others and was about to shout to them when he saw a root head right towards his head. He ducked and it shot over his hunched form, traveling further until it hit the wall of the curve. "Oi!" Goku shouted to everyone, pointing up at the exit. "Come on!"

"Right!" Trunks yelled back. "Grab a human and let's go!" He took a hold of Relena's waist, dragging her over to the opening above Goku and shooting through it.

Vegeta followed suit with Bulma, as Goten grabbed Bra's arm.

"I'm not a human!" Bra protested.

"Yeah, but you're not as fast as us,' Goten responded as he pulled her over to the chute.

"What?!" Bra shrieked in anger, then yelled in surprise when Goten securely wrapped an arm around her waist and launched upwards to the surface.

After letting the others go through first, Goku followed behind, speeding through to the world above.

Only when the group had escaped did the burrow finally begin to collapse. More roots jutted out of the walls, slamming through others. The same situation was happening throughout the remainder of the network of tunnels as Seether's rose continued to grow and its roots continued to smash through the underground passages. The soil loosened more and more, and the tunnels finally gave way, causing more rumbles throughout the ground...

...and causing complete havoc on the surface world.

"Oh... my... Dende..." were the only words Bra could come up with as the group floated in the air.

They had burst to the surface a few moments before, only to find that Seether's last attack didn't only affect the underground. In fact, by wracking the earth, it obviously caused massive earthquakes on the land above, something the seven hadn't thought of until they saw the chaotic scene themselves.

The earth beneath Satan City rippled like a pond disturbed by a stone, buildings noticeably shivering as the quaking earth moved up and down under them and trees toppling. The trees fell onto cars, smashed into windows of buildings, and fell onto power lines, their weight supported by the sagging wires for a few moments, and then tearing down the cables and the poles supporting them. 

In Satan City Park, located in the center of the great city, the populace gathered there was in terror as the world crashed around them. They swarmed over each other as they tried to avoid being crushed by the collapsing trees and falling into the gaping cracks that were cutting through the ground beneath them, all the while trying to keep their footing and failing.

In one section of the park the massive traffic of people was desperately pushing in one direction as the ferris wheel near them began to tip over. The people trapped inside the gondolas could do nothing to stop their approaching deaths, screaming their repent to the sky.

Suddenly, the wheel stopped its descent. In fact, it was steadily rising upwards. Now, instead of screaming in terror, the people seated on the ride were looking up in amazement, some pointing to the figure that had latched onto a metal rail and was keeping them safe from harm.

"What the hell?" Relena exclaimed, watching the rising ferris wheel in awe. 

"Gohan," was the one-word answer from Goku, who turned to look at the others. "Let's go!"

"Here you go, Bra!" Trunks said, passing Relena onto his sister, who also supported Bulma.

"What?" Bra began as she hitched her free arm around Relena's waist and the American slung an arm around Bra's shoulder. "Hey, aren't you even gonna ask me if I-"

"See you later, B-chan!" Goten interrupted as he, Goku, Trunks, and Vegeta flew off.

"Hey!" Bra screamed after them as they took off towards the park. "Oh! Fine! Go ahead! Just leave the girl to stay behind! You sexist pigs!"

"I think I'm deaf now," Relena mumbled.

"I thought you didn't like fighting," Bulma spoke up.

"Yeah, well, they should've asked anyway!" Bra replied indignantly.

"I hope no one is hurt," Bulma said, surveying the shaking land below them. 

"Are you kidding?" Relena exclaimed. "How could no one be hurt?"

"Wishful thinking."

"Oi! Bra-chan! Bulma-san!" a voice called out. "And... um... Girl-san!"

"Nani..." Bra spotted three familiar forms moving towards her. "Yatta! Pan-chan! Chi-Chi-san! Marron-chan! Are you guys okay?"

Pan flew up to Bra, supporting Chi-Chi in one arm and Marron in the other. "Yeah, we're fine. 'Tousan and 'Kaasan wouldn't let me help! I can't believe-"

"Never mind that!" Marron broke in. "Where have you guys been?"

"We know exactly where they were!" Chi-Chi yelled. Here gaze snapped to Bulma. "What on Chikyuu did you think you were doing taking my husband and my Goten-chan under the ground?"

"Nani??" Bulma's eyes widened before settling in a fiery glare to match Chi-Chi's. "You're going to blame that on me? For your information we were saving Vegeta from a power-hungry demon bent on world domination!"

"You have no right to endanger my family for any reason!" Chi-Chi countered.

"I couldn't save my husband without them!" 

"Oh, screw your husband! He should learn to take care of himself!"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Vegeta is way more trouble than he's worth!"

"You bitch! You have no idea what I've just been through!" Bulma shook a fist at Chi-Chi, jarring Bra's grip around her waist a bit. "I should kick your ass!"

"'Kaasan! Watch it!" Bra warned, tightening her grasp.

"Hey," Marron pointed towards the ground beneath them. "The earthquake is letting up!"

Sure enough, the tremors rocking the land below were slowly dissipating. The many buildings- amazingly, none had fallen- stopped their shaking, and roots of still standing trees were able to remain safely intertwined with the ground. No longer did gaps in the land crack open, taking dozens of lives in their wake. When the ground beneath was completely quiescent, the still living people in the park were silent for a moment, the amusement rides that had been lifted into the air being gently set back to the ground. Then a large murmur could be heard by the six that hovered in the air as people rejoiced for life as they protectively latched onto family and friends or cried in agony for lost loved ones.

Bra and Pan floated downwards to an undamaged bluff that overlooked Satan City, watching the masses of people get to their feet, some remaining in the park while others were already halfway to the exit. Some operators of rides got it in their heads to let the riders off the attractions, rushing to the machines to help them off. Sirens could be heard as several police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks approached the scene; one could assume that the vehicles drawing near were the only ones not damaged in the quake.

"Here they come," Bra announced, pointing to the several flying figures heading towards the hill.

The nine gliding beings landed before the other six, looking grim. Three of them, Goku, Vegeta, and Trunks looked a bit tired due to low energy, but the other six- Gohan and Videl (who'd donned their Saiyaman outfits), Eighteen and Krillin, Piccolo, and Goten were fine. Despite their heroic efforts, all looked fairly grim.

"We lost a lot," Goku stated.

"Oh, Goku-sa," Chi-Chi sympathized, running up to her husband and hugging him around the waist. "You tried."

"We should start looking for the dragonballs tomorrow," Goku went on, embracing her back.

"What do you mean 'we?'" Vegeta glanced sideways at the other Saiyajin.

"You're leaving again?!" Chi-Chi shrieked, breaking from the hug and balling her hands at her sides as she glared at Goku. "First you go off without even telling me, and now-"

"But I did tell you!" Goku defended himself. "And you said Goten and I couldn't go!"

"Don't you talk back to me!" Chi-Chi scolded. "All you do is run off all the time, Son Goku! Don't you have any consideration for anyone else?"

Goku pointed to Vegeta. "I had to help him!"

"Well, you just have to help EVERYONE, don't you!" Chi-Chi focused her attention on Vegeta. "What the hell did you do this time?"

"Me?" Vegeta scowled at the raven-haired woman. "You think I did this?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if you did!" Chi-Chi looked him over, for a moment appearing confused as to why he was wearing medieval armor. "And what the hell are you wearing?"

Vegeta blanched, then folded his arms. "Just shut your trap."

"Are you going to let him talk to me like that??" Chi-Chi said to Goku.

Goku sweatdropped. "Um... yes?"

"Arrgh!!!" Chi-Chi suddenly pulled out her frying pan.

"Ah!" Goku held up his hands protectively, backing away. "Come on, Chi-Chi! Relax!"

"I'll show you relaxed!"

Relena sweatdropped, watching the scene. She looked to Bra. "Are they always like this??"

"Nah," responded the half-Saiyajin. "I've seen worse."

"And where did that frying pan come from?"

Bra only shrugged, acting as if pulling a cooking utensil from thin air was the most natural thing in the world.

Marron looked at Goten. "You have a weird family." Then her gaze fell on Trunks and she gasped, seeing his cuts and bruises. "Trunks! What happened!" she exclaimed, running over to him.

"It's nothing," Trunks assured her. 

"Nothing? Look at you!" Marron turned to Bulma. "We should get him to a doctor, right away!"

Bulma nodded. "We should probably all get home. I can bandage Trunks up there."

*CLANG*

Everyone jumped at the noise, and turned to see Goku lying on the ground unconscious, Chi-Chi standing over him, polishing her skillet. Apparently, Goku hadn't regained enough strength to withstand one of his wife's wrathful whacks to his skull.

"Yes, we should all get home," Chi-Chi agreed, oblivious to all the sweatdrops.

"Well," Krillin began, glancing at Goku, "I'll call him later about the dragonball hunt."

Chi-Chi was suddenly in front of the monk, lifting him up by the collar. "You'll do no such thing! My Goku-chan will stay home for once, and you," she hissed, bringing his face close to hers, "will NOT call."

Krillin gulped. "Hai, Ma'am." He sighed gratefully when the taller woman set him down and walked back over to her husband, who was now draped over Gohan's shoulder.

"I'll carry him for you, Okaasan," Gohan offered, "and Videl can carry you."

"Arigatou," Chi-Chi thanked him. 

"'Tousan," Marron said to her father, "I'll go with Trunks to Capsule Corporations. I wanna hear all about what happened."

"Actually, I was thinking of doing the same thing," Krillin said. He looked to Eighteen. "What about you?"

Eighteen shrugged. "Whatever."

"Is it okay, Bulma-san?" Marron asked.

"Sure," Bulma agreed. She glanced warily at Chi-Chi. "Maybe you should come also. You might get a better understanding of what happened."

Chi-Chi thought it over for a moment, then nodded. "Your explanation better be good."

Bulma turned towards Relena so Chi-Chi wouldn't see her rolling her eyes. "What about you Relena? Are you coming over?"

"Actually," Relena said, "I must get going. I have to get back to headquarters and make my report."

"Wait a minute!" Chi-Chi stalked over to the girl. "Who are you, anyway?"

"Just a friend, Ma'am," Relena responded, wisely backing away a few steps.

"Don't give me that!" Chi-Chi growled. "What did you have to do with this?"

"I helped." Relena glanced at those around her, wondering if anyone would have the guts to help her if this woman became violent.

"Who are you?" Chi-Chi repeated.

"Can't tell you." Relena wondered how fast the older woman was.

Chi-Chi looked to Bulma. "Who is she?"

"Her name is Relena... we think," Bulma said simply.

"You _think_ her name is Relena?" Chi-Chi repeated. "She looked back at the American girl. "Explain yourself!"

"Can't, Ma'am," Relena replied. "It's classified."

"CLASSIFIED?"

Relena looked to Bulma, Bra, Trunks, and Goten. "Remember, you promised not to reveal any information. You keep quiet about me, and we'll keep quiet about you." She glanced at Goku. "Relay that to him."

Chi-Chi glanced at those around her. "What is this? A conspiracy?" She took a step closer to the girl. "Who are you?!"

Suddenly, a helicopter appeared in the distance, heading straight for the group.

"Uh oh," Gohan said. "You think it's a TV station? I mean, a lot of people saw us."

"But we were pretty high up," Trunks pointed out. "I don't think anyone's description could be that detailed."

"Just act natural!" Gohan ordered.

"Oh, yeah," Trunks said sarcastically. "We're just a group of dirty people hanging out with a guy in knight's armor, a green alien, and Great Saiyaman Number One and Great Saiyaman Number Two."

"Don't worry. It's not a television station helicopter," Relena said, looking up at it, a sense of relief about her.

"What makes you so sure?"

"I know."

After a few moments the black flying machine hovered over the rising where they stood, and a man leaned out the side. He looked from one person to the other, his expression growing more confused as he glanced from Vegeta to Gohan and Videl, to Piccolo. Finally he spotted who he was searching for, looking straight at Relena.

"Messenger?" he called out.

Relena looked up and yelled back, "The brown star drank a large piece of steak from the pool."

Everyone on the ground stared at her, all unanimously exclaiming, "WHAT?"

Relena, still looking at the man, replied, "It's a secret code phrase."

"What kind of code is that?" Goten asked, yelling over the noise of the propellers.

"One that can't be easily copied."

"How did they find you?" Gohan asked.

Relena merely pulled down the neck of her torn sweater, revealing the forgotten chip embedded in her shoulder.

The man in the helicopter threw a rope ladder down, and Relena walked over to it, gripping it with her hands and securing a foot on the bottom rung. Before she began her ascent, she looked back at the others.

"Ja ne, guys," she called to them, flashing the V sign. She laughed. "Try to stay out of trouble!"

"Ja ne, Relena!" Bra called out as the young woman climbed up the rope and into the helicopter. 

"Arigatou for your help!" Bulma added.

Relena waved back, then disappeared from view into the helicopter. A moment later it veered off to the right, and after a few minutes was only a black speck in the distance, the sound of it's whirring propellers now a faint purr.

Chi-Chi turned to her son expectantly. "So who was she?"

Goten started in surprise, then began to fidget. "Um... er... Oh, you heard her, 'Kaasan! I can't tell."

Chi-Chi's eyes narrowed. "The hell you can't!"

"Um... gotta go, 'Kaasan!" Goten blurted out, taking to the air and blasting off towards West Capital. Trunks followed close behind, as did Bra, who carried Marron. Pan took off after them, calling for them to wait up.

Chi-Chi grabbed Videl, staring at her threateningly. "Follow that boy," she ordered.

"Hai, Chi-Chi-san." Videl complied quickly, picking up her mother-in-law and taking off after the others.

Gohan launched after them, still holding his unconscious father, and was followed Piccolo, Eighteen, and Krillin. That left Vegeta and Bulma last in the line of people flying through the air towards Capsule Corporations.

Bulma wrapped her arms tighter around her husband's neck, kissing his cheek and snuggling close to him. "Oh, Vegeta! I'm so glad to have you back! I was so frightened!"

"Hn." Vegeta continued to look straight ahead, his impassive mask in place.

Despite his usual expression, Bulma could sense that something was wrong. "What is it?" she pressed.

"They're coming over to hear about what happened."

Bulma was silent for a moment, then it dawned on her. "Oh... They won't think your weak, Vegeta. Seether was a very powerful creature." Vegeta remained silent, but she could still sense his humiliation. Bulma thought to herself for a few moments, then continued. "Even Goku could do nothing against her." 

As she expected, the statement brought a change from Vegeta's demeanor, even if only in the way he quickly glanced at her and loosened his slightly tight grip under her knees and back.

"It's a shame though..." Bulma sighed.

"What's a shame, onna?"

"She would've made a great spokesperson for women's rights."

"Baka..." Vegeta muttered.

Bulma only smiled, resting her head on his shoulder, content to have her prince back.

"Onna?"

"Hai, Vegeta-chan?"

"You stink."

Bulma let out cry of anger and smacked him in the shoulder. "I'm only caked in dirt because of you, baka! You think I like smelling like this? Or looking like this? It'll take forever to get all this crap out of my hair! My pores will be clogged for weeks! And you know what else?"

Bulma's shrill voice faded as Vegeta continued to fly off with her in the distance toward home.

**__**

The End

Well, I hope all you people enjoyed my story! I had fun writing it (except for the last half of this chapter), and it's really helped improve my writing. (You may notice a significant difference if you compare chapters one and twenty.) I hope to get even better at it with help from my creative writing class...

Oh, yeah! Relena's little code phrase was created by Golden Shadow, since I couldn't think of a totally ridiculous sentence myself.

Now... this isn't exactly a plug... but if you enjoyed my story, could you please go to my site (link is in my profile) and to my message board? I really only want to know what you enjoyed most, hated, or think I should improve on. Pretty please? ::pathetic puppy dog eyes:: I posted a message there already, under "Total Solar Eclipse" that you can reply to...

One last thing... Um... I realized this around about chapter ten, and you may have too... The moon doesn't exist. o_o Remember? Piccolo took it upon himself to blow it up went Gohan turned Oozaru? So... the story could never be possible... ^_^;;; Heh... I wasn't just going to not finish it, though, so I hoped you liked it anyway... I guess it could be labeled an alternate universe where the moon still exists or something... Stupid Piccolo. ~_~ We really do need the moon, you know. It affects tides and junk... o_o

Anyway, I hope you still liked my fic, despite my stupid mistake. ::bangs head on her computer desk::

Ja ne, minna! ^_^


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